St. Wendelin transfers Karcher endowment to Toledo Symphony

FOSTORIA — The arrangement that resulted in the creation of the St. Wendelin Catholic Parish's Karcher Concert Series in 2017 is transitioning to the Toledo Symphony Orchestra, the parish and the trustees of the Karcher Music Endowment have jointly announced.Richard A. Karcher, the son of late donors Richard E. and Garland M. Karcher, has been associated with the orchestra for four decades, first as a volunteer, then as a member of the board of trustees, followed by his appointment to the symphony's executive committee and its leadership hierarchy. He will assume the position of chairman of the board of trustees next year, a press release said."In my 40-year involvement, the TSO has grown into a broader organization now known as the Toledo Alliance for the Performing Arts, including the symphony, the Toledo Ballet and the Toledo Jazz Orchestra," Richard A. Karcher was quoted as saying in the release. Transferring the Karcher Music Endowment to the Toledo Symphony School of Music and the Toledo Symphony Youth Orchestra seemed the most appropriate placement to give voice to Dick and Garland's original intentions."On the occasion of their 50th anniversary, in 1999, longtime St. Wendelin parishioners Richard E. and Garland Karcher established the Karcher Music Scholarship, which awarded a total of 27 grants to deserving St. Wendelin High School juniors and seniors until the high school's closure in May 2017.Prior to the Karchers' deaths within 16 days of each other in February and March 2014, they were able to personally attend 20 of the annual awards ceremonies and enjoyed assisting in the selection process and meeting with the ultimate recipients, the release said.With the closure of St. Wendelin schools, the scholarship fund was transformed into a series of musical programs to benefit the parish and the Fostoria community, the release said.Anthony Gallina, St. Wendelin's last full-time musician before becoming director of music ministries at the Our Lady of Consolation Parish, in Carey, in 2023, administered the Karcher Concert Series."Anthony was a consummate musician and 'can-do' personality who proved very adept in creatively making positive things happen despite the closure of St. Wendelin High School," the Rev. Joseph Poggemeyer, pastor of the St. Wendelin Parish, was quoted as saying in the release. "Anthony found room to manage the Karcher Concert Series, just as the school was closing and the series was initiated."Said Richard A. Karcher, principal trustee of the music endowment, of Gallina: "It was a tribute to his many musical contacts throughout northwestern Ohio that enabled him to bring in disparate musical artists, from solo vocalists, organists, flue and brass ensembles from Bowling Green State University, to chorales traveling throughout Ohio and beyond. Anthony was really the driving force behind the Karcher Concert series for a half-dozen years in negotiating fees, scheduling, booking talent and, for instance, with the Cardinal Chorale, even arranging host-housing with parish families for overnight stays.The release said that with Gallina's departure, personnel turnover in the parish and reorganization of the music program, the concert series could no longer continue as originally formulated."Dick and Garland were very loyal to St. Wendelin and believed strongly in music education for their son, Dick, and his younger sister, Cheryl, both of whom graduated from SWHS, in 1973 and 1974, respectively," Poggemeyer was quoted as saying in the release. "That was the impetus for their initial establishment 25 years ago of the Karcher Music Scholarship. The joint objective for the parish and the endowment was to find an appropriate fit for the corpus of the endowment."The release said discussions began in earnest a year ago of how to best continue the elder Karchers' legacy and be consistent with the donors' original intentions to foster interest in music education for high school students and cultivating enrichment through their involvement in music."My parents showered my sister and I with many gifts, but among the most enduring included immersing us in the language and culture of music," Richard A. Karcher was quoted as saying. "It was from this launch pad that prompted my involvement with the Toledo Symphony when I went to Toledo after graduation from St. Wendelin to attend college and law school."Said Poggemeyer: "My predecessor, Father Nicholas Weibl, initiated a strong connection with the Toledo Symphony Orchestra over 15 years ago when he was pastor and embedded a heritage of alternating-year Christmas holiday concerts that have become engrained with St. Wendelin and will continue into the future. We have long-established donors who have committed to continuity of this parish tradition."He added: "We thank and appreciate the significant contributions made to St. Wendelin by the Karcher family for the past 25 years and know that this transfer of funds will continue to benefit music education of children for decades to come, just as Dick and Garland intended."The Toledo Symphony Orchestra is scheduled to play its holiday concert at St. Wendelin Catholic Church at 7 p.m. Dec. 2.