Galion High School art teacher Haylie Bowlby displays stained glass projects made with supplies provided by Maryann Heimlich in memory of her late husband, Donald.
Courtesy | Galion City Schools
The Galion Board of Education was pleased to announce during the September Board meeting, a heartfelt recognition of the generous donation of art supplies made by the family of Donald Heimlich.
In memory of Don, his wife Maryann has made it her mission to enrich the educational experience of Galion High School students by donating essential art supplies, including stained glass materials and various other resources. This significant contribution, valued at approximately $5,000, has already been used by the high school art classes. Several completed pieces of stained glass projects were proudly displayed during the annual art show last spring.
Haylie Bowlby, the high school art teacher, will continue to use the tools and supplies from this donation throughout the school year, fostering creativity and opening up exciting new opportunities for self-expression.
“We are immensely grateful for the Heimlich family’s generosity and their commitment to helping to provide new art-making experiences in our classroom” said Bowlby.
During the board meeting, Bowlby shared that the donated items have had a positive impact on her students. The experience of using the stained glass materials has not only changed their outlook on art, but has led a couple of them to pursue art as a major in college.
Donald Heimlich, a beloved member of the Galion community, was not only a dedicated family man but also an avid gardener, craftsman, and artist. His hobbies included building beautiful flower beds and ponds filled with lilies and fish, woodworking, and crafting stunning stained glass pieces. His passion extended to creating cherished stained glass windows for his family and friends as well as building birdhouses from gourds he grew.
The Heimlich family, including Don’s three children—Kimberly, Christopher, and Matthew—who all attended Galion High School, along with Maryann, a proud member of the Class of 1959, continues to honor his legacy through this generous act of kindness.
The Galion Board of Education extends its deepest gratitude to the Heimlich family for their unwavering support of the arts in our schools and for their dedication to enriching the lives of our students.
For more information, please contact Chief Information Officer Veronica Rinehart at 419-468-3134 or by email at [email protected].
Submitted by Galion City Schools.
