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Riley Fund gives back
The most touching story of last year's Putnam County Fair had another chapter added one year later on Friday evening.
After an outpouring of support for the Riley Sutherlin Fund during the 2014 4-H Livestock Auction raised $20,000 in the late Greencastle teenager's name, Sutherlin's family used the 2015 auction to keep to its pledge for the fund and give back to the community.
Following Riley's June 23, 2014 death in a tractor accident, the family announced the establishment of the fund during the 2014 auction. The purpose was to give back to the Putnam County community, particularly to Riley's beloved 4-H and FFA families.
The plan, announced at the time by parents Ron and Alana Sutherlin and siblings Kendra and Dillon, was to give back to the youth of the community in the coming years.
On Friday, this came in the form of more than $5,500 in funds to local 4-H'ers for their animals.
Each time a 10-year member sold an animal, regardless of selling price, the Riley Fund pitched in another $100.
Additionally, the fund paid the premiums for a number of other animals.
Ron Sutherlin said it was only right to return to the auction a year later.
"We just knew this was where it started and where it came from," Ron said. "We thought we'd come back and give back."
The sales to the 10-year members must have been especially poignant to the family, as Riley would have completed his 10th year of 4-H in 2015.
For the family, the community support and giving back are part of the ongoing grieving process.
"It's all a part of the healing," Alana said. "It's helped -- the community love and support and that of family and friends."
The support continued on Friday. Even as the Riley Fund was giving money to 4-H'ers, several 4-H'ers were giving back to the fund.
For example, Kendra donated half of her hog's selling price to the fund, with Dillon giving half the price of his sheep.
Additionally, 10-year swine exhibitor Nolan Ensor donated $500 to the Riley Fund, even as the Riley Fund was giving him $100.
None of the kindness is really a surprise to the Sutherlins at this point, but it remains touching.
"I think the people in 4-H and FFA know how special that community is," Ron said, "but it really comes to light after something like this -- how tragedy can bring people together."
The 4-H Fair hasn't been the only place the Sutherlin family has used the Riley Fund. They also used the money to pay for a pair of awards for South Putnam FFA students, as well as for the R.I.L.E.Y. for Safety Program on the one-year anniversary of Riley's death.
The Sutherlins said plans aren't specific for the future of the fund, but they plan to continue supporting the youth of the community in the coming years.
"We'll be back next year with it and spend some more," Ron said. "We just really appreciate all that this community has done for us."