Congratulations Vandeveer Impact Awardees
The Allen County Board of Commissioners is pleased to announce the winners of two different awards that honor life and legacy of Jerry and Linda Vandeveer.
The Vandeveers are probably best remembered for their tireless efforts to create and maintain the Allen County Law Enforcement/Firefighters Memorial on North Wells Street, They were also advocates for police and firefighters as well as catalysts for positive change in the Baker-Fairfield neighborhood and beyond. Jerry became a champion of the importance of getting a colonoscopy after his wife’s death in 2016.
Linda Vandeveer passed after losing a valiant battle against Stage 4 colon cancer. Jerry Vandeveer died in February 2024. Though they are gone, the influence and impact of the Vandeveers lives on and will be recognized annually through the Linda & Jerry Vandeveer Impact Award and The Jerry and Linda Vandeveer Public Safety Scholarship.
During a joint ceremony on December 12, 2025, the recipients of these two awards gathered with colleagues, friends, and family. Also in attendance were Vandeveer family members, representatives from Fire-Police City-County Federal Credit Union, and the Community Foundation of Greater Fort Wayne.
Before the winners were announced Gerald Vandeveer, the son of Jerry and Linda, explained the purpose of the award when he shared, “The Linda & Jerry Vandeveer Impact Award exists because my parents lived the kind of service that you don’t need to wear a microphone or have a spotlight. They believed in showing up, helping quietly, and leaving things better than they found them – even when no one was watching. The award was created to recognize individuals who embody that same spirit.”
Craig Dellinger, of New Haven, Indiana, is the winner of the 2025 Linda & Jerry Vandeveer Impact Award. During the ceremony he was recognized for four decades of community service. Some, but not all, of the notable volunteer work listed about Craig included being a founding member of his neighborhood’s Community Association, for which he has served on the board since 1988 and as its president for 20 of those years.
For the last 30 years, he served in different capacities on the New Haven Chamber Board, as a board member, chairman, and advisor. Another significant way he impacted the New Haven community was by helping create the New Haven Community Foundation in 2014. An organization that has, over the past 11 years, granted over $200,000 for community projects and has established two endowed scholarships for New Haven students. Their Bulldog Toy Drive distributes gifts to over 300 kids at Christmas. Dellinger has been a Charitable & Education Foundation Board Member for the Better Business Bureau of Northern Indiana since 2016.
In addition to his community leadership, Dellinger has given years of public service as a fixture in New Haven’s local government. Since 2012, he has served on New Haven City Council for the 3rd District and was Council President for 10 of those years. And over the past 25 years, he served at different times on the City of New Haven Economic Development Committee, Redevelopment Committee, Plan Commission, Board of Zoning Appeals, and dozens of community volunteer committees.
In his acceptance speech, Dellinger shared, “I’m truly honored and humbled to accept the Impact Award today. The legacy of the Vandeveers is about seeing a need and stepping up. I’m grateful to be part of that tradition of service.”
Craig Dellinger received a personal plaque, and his name was inscribed on a permanent plaque that hangs in the commissioners’ office. He also received a check for $250 from an anonymous donor presented by Sarah Rippe, representative from Fire-Police City-County Federal Credit Union. Dellinger said that he will donate the check to the New Haven Mayor’s Youth Advisory Council which is fundraising to build a pocket park in downtown New Haven, Indiana.
The next person the Commissioners recognized was the very first recipient of The Jerry and Linda Vandeveer Public Safety Scholarship. The scholarship was established by the commissioners in November 2024 to support students pursuing careers in firefighting, law enforcement, and emergency medical services – fields the Vandeveers held dear. While it is presented by the commissioners, the scholarship is largely funded by private investment and managed by the Community Foundation of Greater Fort Wayne.
Tori Peake, of Fort Wayne, Indiana, is the winner and first ever recipient of the scholarship. She was welcomed to the front of the room by 2024 Impact Award winner Barb Richards who shared some background about the student.
Peake is a graduate of Snider High School and is attending Indiana Tech to pursue a bachelor’s degree in emergency management. Her goal is to use her education to supplement her ultimate goal of becoming a Paramedic/Firefighter.
Peake was highly engaged throughout high school, serving as Vice President of Student Council and Captain of the Bowling team for two years. She also volunteered with the Fort Wayne Children’s Zoo and the Hoagland Volunteer Fire/EMS Department.
Richards shared, “This young lady has a vision for her future!” In the essay Peake submitted to the scholarship board she wrote, “I want to be able to provide my family with the best life I can give them. If I spend the time now to get a degree in the emergency management field, later down the road when I want to become chief or captain of a department, I will already have the knowledge and skills needed to be able to fulfill the job to the best of my abilities.”
The Jerry and Linda Vandeveer Public Safety Scholarship Fund was created by a public/private partnership between local business leaders and the county. The purpose of the fund is to provide financial support to individuals seeking a career in police, fire, or ambulance service who have selected a core component from an institution of higher learning along that career path. Selected candidates will have demonstrated financial need and a minimum GPA of 3.0. The annually awarded education scholarship will be administered by the Community Foundation of Greater Fort Wayne. More information can be found on their website at cfgfw.org/vandeveer/.
The Community Foundation of Greater Fort Wayne does three things: helps people make their charitable giving more impactful, connects resources to nonprofits through grantmaking and education, and provides leadership to address community needs. The organization connects people and resources daily to build a more vibrant community. As of December 31, 2024, the Community Foundation held charitable assets of approximately $247 million and awarded more than $11 million in charitable grants and scholarships throughout the same year. Since its formation in 1922, the Community Foundation has awarded more than $195 million in charitable grants. For more information, visit the Community Foundation’s website.
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