Kain Estate Gift Creates Scholarship for Local Students
The Huron County Community Foundation recently received an incredibly generous gift from the estate of Merlin and Lois Kain. They entrusted HCCF with more than $941,000 to establish a permanent scholarship fund for graduating seniors from Owendale-Gagetown High School and Bad Axe Public Schools. We are deeply honored, and humbled, to be trusted with carrying their legacy forward for generations to come.
Who they were
Merlin Kain was born in Sebewaing, and his family later moved to a farm in Brookfield Township, where he attended Brookfield #5 country school. Lois was born in Detroit before her family moved to Huron County. Both graduated from Owendale High School before its consolidation with Gagetown. They married in 1952 and bought a farm around the corner from Merlin's family farm, where they raised cattle and cash crops until their retirement.
HCCF Board Member Kristen Zagorski grew up around the corner from Merlin and Lois. She remembers how they treated her and her siblings as an extension of their own family, often showing up for milestones like graduations. When she learned they had chosen generosity as their legacy, she wasn't surprised at all.
Their vision
Merlin and Lois recognized the importance of education beyond high school. They had seen many young people succeed because of it, and they knew how financially challenging it can be to get there. In 2012, they met with the community foundation to discuss their vision for an endowment fund, then finalized those plans with HCCF and their estate planning attorney.
The eligibility criteria include students graduating from Owendale Gagetown or Bad Axe schools that are continuing their education after high school. This award gives preference to Owendale-Gagetown students with demonstrated financial need. Merlin and Lois were clear about who they wanted to help: the average student who may not qualify for academic scholarships but needs financial help and wants to keep learning. That could mean the trades, an associate degree, or a bachelor's program, in any field, at any recognized institution.
How an endowment works
A gift like this isn't spent all at once. It's invested as a permanent endowment, and each year a percentage of the fund is spent in accordance with the fund's purpose. We follow donor intent, so every dollar is spent to support the donor’s vision. For Merlin and Lois, that purpose was helping local graduates continue their education, and this fund will support scholarships every year, forever, as they intended. The same promise applies to every fund we hold.
Every legacy reflects a vision
A scholarship invests in a student's journey wherever it leads. Grantmaking funds invest in the place they call home, the place we hope they'll return to. Endowed funds can support Huron County nonprofits, parks and public spaces, community programs, and needs no one can predict today. Whatever you care about most, a planned gift can keep supporting it long after you're gone.
If you're thinking about your own legacy, we would welcome the conversation about how HCCF can support your vision. Merlin and Lois started theirs with a simple meeting more than a decade ago. We are always honored and humbled to help families bring their charitable vision to life and build a legacy of generosity: for good, forever.
To start a conversation about legacy giving, contact Mackenzie Price, mackenzie@huroncounty.com or 989-269-2850.