Cousin Dick Reymann clearly remembers the formative days of The Charles and Salome Reymann Foundation; he served as one of the first board members upon establishing the organization in 1967. His contributions to the Foundation spanned many decades, from leading as Chairman in the early ‘70’s, to assuming maintenance responsibilities for the Foundation’s group homes in Akron, to being the ‘go-to’ source for just about anything that the family needed.
“We always had Grandma Salome’s support”, says Dick. “She was a visionary, and was so proud of creating the Foundation for the betterment of others. She believed in us, and after a few years of struggling to gain focus and structure, we began to believe in ourselves”, adds Dick. During Dick’s years on the board, he experienced many real estate transactions — the purchasing (and/or selling) of homes that the Foundation sponsored as group living arrangements for individuals with disabilities. He was actively involved in a variety of fundraising initiatives, from The Reymann Galas to The Reymann Reverse Raffles to the most recent Reymann Casino Nights. And sadly, he observed attrition in the large Reymann family, as aunts, uncles and cousins relocated away from Akron, or perhaps passed away. Dick commented that, “it was always a blessed gift to the Foundation when a friend or relative remembered us in their estate planning. These bequeaths have been an important source of revenue for the Foundation, and make a huge difference in our ability to deliver on our mission.”
Throughout it all, Dick remains in awe of the talented family members and friends who stepped up, became doers, and drove the Foundation to stability and success. “The Atlantic Foundry is gone, San Hygene is gone, but The Charles and Salome Reymann Foundation continues to move forward. This is our legacy, and it has become the face of Reymann’s in the Akron area. We are indebted to the people that made this possible – Salome, past chairmen and leaders, board members, the family and community, and everyone’s dedication to our cause.”
Thank you for your decades of service to the Foundation, Dick