Philanthropist of the Year
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Orange County Community Foundation
Woman Philanthropist of the Year
Marilyn Fenton Bio
Orange County Community Foundation’s Woman Philanthropist of the Year is Marilyn Fenton of
French Lick. Originally from the Chicago area, Marilyn with her husband, and family of four
children, moved to the Orange County area in 1971. Prior to that time Marilyn had never worked
outside the home, focusing on volunteerism in girl scouts and Community Theater. That all
changed once she arrived in French Lick. A position became open at the local nursing home for
an Activities Director; Marilyn put herself through the IU short course to get the credentials
necessary to accept the position. She cherishes the time spent at the nursing facility and tells
heart warming stories of the experience.
A few years later, she was contacted by a shop owner inside the French Lick Springs Resort.
Marilyn accepted the position offered there and worked from l980 to l984. In l984 one of her four
children purchased a building in downtown French Lick and needed a tenant. Marilyn accepted
the challenge of being her daughter’s new tenant and opened a restaurant in the building, having
never worked in a restaurant. She worked for free for a few weeks at a local restaurant in town to
gain the general knowledge of how an eatery operated. She opened her own in l984 and
continued the business until January 1989, at which time downtown French Lick suffered a
devastating fire. That would not diminish Marilyn’s efforts in the community. She total renovated
an old building in downtown French Lick and opened the Village Market that same year, which
she still owns and operates today, some 18 years later.
Since that time Marilyn has extended herself to great lengths in and around her community. She
has served for 8 years for Hoosier Uplands, which serves five counties, and became its first
female Chairperson of the Board; she is a four year Orange County 4-H Board member; a
member of Orange County Extension Homemakers Club, serving as a two year county president,
the organization also instigated the Red Hats Society in French Lick. She is a 20 year member of
the French Lick Downtown Merchants and five year committee chairperson for the downtown flea
markets and street concerts. Marilyn is a 20 year member of Orange County 2000, which has
evolved into the Orange County Economic Development Partnership Board, for which she recently
received recognition for appreciation of her efforts in the organization. She is a member of the
French Lick-West Baden Chamber of Commerce for 24 years and has served as it’s President
four of those years; she is a six year member of Patoka Lake-Lincoln Hills Tourism Group.
Marilyn served for two years on the French Lick Revolving Loan Fund Committee and fought to
have tourism recognized by the state as an industry, in order that more funds would be available
for local tourism businesses. She is a ten year member of the French Lick Senior Citizen Board
and has served as its Secretary-Treasurer. She worked to secure an engineering grant to advice
on upgrading the building while serving as a cook, maintenance person for the building, and is in
charge of its rental space. She is a five year member of Orange County Home Grown and helped
in the organization of the French Lick Farmer’s Market, encouraged vendors, and found locations
for the market in our changing community. Marilyn has served as a member of the Orange Shirts
since the inception of the grass roots group that has had the largest economic impact ever to
come to our county and surrounding area, and has served as a lobbyist to save the West Baden
Dome.
Marilyn makes an impact in every organization because she is a “doer”. She gives endlessly of
her time and talent. Most recently Marilyn accepted the challenge to work with food distributions to
senior citizens, which has evolved into Gleaner’s Food Commodity Distribution in French Lick.
She worked to organization local teenagers who assisted in the heavy work to make the project
operate more efficiently. In communications with friends she was made aware of the successful
Angel Food Program in a near by community, and so she gathered the information, brought it to
the attention of a local church and the program is now working in our community. Marilyn has
also assisted the elderly and needy in acquiring housing, enabling them to become more
productive citizens in our community and to live a better quality of life.
Marilyn is a catalyst. The citizens of Orange County are so fortunate to have Marilyn Fenton
serving their county and her commitment to, “another year - another project”, and we are certain
that she will proceed with her “let’s make a difference” attitude.
Woman Philanthropist of the Year
Marilyn Fenton Bio
Orange County Community Foundation’s Woman Philanthropist of the Year is Marilyn Fenton of
French Lick. Originally from the Chicago area, Marilyn with her husband, and family of four
children, moved to the Orange County area in 1971. Prior to that time Marilyn had never worked
outside the home, focusing on volunteerism in girl scouts and Community Theater. That all
changed once she arrived in French Lick. A position became open at the local nursing home for
an Activities Director; Marilyn put herself through the IU short course to get the credentials
necessary to accept the position. She cherishes the time spent at the nursing facility and tells
heart warming stories of the experience.
A few years later, she was contacted by a shop owner inside the French Lick Springs Resort.
Marilyn accepted the position offered there and worked from l980 to l984. In l984 one of her four
children purchased a building in downtown French Lick and needed a tenant. Marilyn accepted
the challenge of being her daughter’s new tenant and opened a restaurant in the building, having
never worked in a restaurant. She worked for free for a few weeks at a local restaurant in town to
gain the general knowledge of how an eatery operated. She opened her own in l984 and
continued the business until January 1989, at which time downtown French Lick suffered a
devastating fire. That would not diminish Marilyn’s efforts in the community. She total renovated
an old building in downtown French Lick and opened the Village Market that same year, which
she still owns and operates today, some 18 years later.
Since that time Marilyn has extended herself to great lengths in and around her community. She
has served for 8 years for Hoosier Uplands, which serves five counties, and became its first
female Chairperson of the Board; she is a four year Orange County 4-H Board member; a
member of Orange County Extension Homemakers Club, serving as a two year county president,
the organization also instigated the Red Hats Society in French Lick. She is a 20 year member of
the French Lick Downtown Merchants and five year committee chairperson for the downtown flea
markets and street concerts. Marilyn is a 20 year member of Orange County 2000, which has
evolved into the Orange County Economic Development Partnership Board, for which she recently
received recognition for appreciation of her efforts in the organization. She is a member of the
French Lick-West Baden Chamber of Commerce for 24 years and has served as it’s President
four of those years; she is a six year member of Patoka Lake-Lincoln Hills Tourism Group.
Marilyn served for two years on the French Lick Revolving Loan Fund Committee and fought to
have tourism recognized by the state as an industry, in order that more funds would be available
for local tourism businesses. She is a ten year member of the French Lick Senior Citizen Board
and has served as its Secretary-Treasurer. She worked to secure an engineering grant to advice
on upgrading the building while serving as a cook, maintenance person for the building, and is in
charge of its rental space. She is a five year member of Orange County Home Grown and helped
in the organization of the French Lick Farmer’s Market, encouraged vendors, and found locations
for the market in our changing community. Marilyn has served as a member of the Orange Shirts
since the inception of the grass roots group that has had the largest economic impact ever to
come to our county and surrounding area, and has served as a lobbyist to save the West Baden
Dome.
Marilyn makes an impact in every organization because she is a “doer”. She gives endlessly of
her time and talent. Most recently Marilyn accepted the challenge to work with food distributions to
senior citizens, which has evolved into Gleaner’s Food Commodity Distribution in French Lick.
She worked to organization local teenagers who assisted in the heavy work to make the project
operate more efficiently. In communications with friends she was made aware of the successful
Angel Food Program in a near by community, and so she gathered the information, brought it to
the attention of a local church and the program is now working in our community. Marilyn has
also assisted the elderly and needy in acquiring housing, enabling them to become more
productive citizens in our community and to live a better quality of life.
Marilyn is a catalyst. The citizens of Orange County are so fortunate to have Marilyn Fenton
serving their county and her commitment to, “another year - another project”, and we are certain
that she will proceed with her “let’s make a difference” attitude.