Athens County Foundation Recognizes Community Leaders
Knisely, Swaim and Adkins are awarded Woman of the Year, Senior of the Year and Foster B. Cornwell Award
Nelsonville– The Athens County Foundation (ACF) recently recognized several community members for their contributions to the Athens County community, including Chris Knisely as Woman of the Year, Jeff Swaim as Senior of the Year and Sarah Adkins as the Foster B. Cornwell Award recipient. These individuals were recognized April 11 at Stuart’s Opera House during ACF’s A Celebration of Community event.
“The Athens County Foundation draws courage and inspiration from the strengths in this room,” said ACF executive director Kerry Pigman, “I’m delighted to celebrate them tonight.”
Chris Knisely awarded Woman of the Year
Chris Knisely was awarded Woman of the Year for her trailblazing and leadership in local politics and community engagement. Knisely retired in 2023 after serving as the first female president of Athens City Council, a position she held from 2015-2023. Prior to that she served as an at-large council member from 2008-2014. During her time on council, she worked to strengthen city and university relations and to support affordable housing and senior services. She mentored fellow council members and she was an active and visible community volunteer.
Knisely has been active with the League of Women Voters of Athens County and other local organizations. She has mentored other women in the county to become politically active and involved.
The Woman of the Year award honors outstanding women in Athens County who exhibit a courageous voice that has been – or needs to be – recognized and who make a difference to the lives of women or girls in Athens County.
The mission of the Women’s Fund of the Athens County Foundation is to promote philanthropy among women and to establish a permanent fund that will provide funding to programs and projects in Athens County which empower women to achieve their full potential. Each year, the Women’s Fund awards grants to Athens County nonprofits that benefit women and girls.
Jeff Swaim awarded Senior of the Year
Jeff Swaim was recognized as Senior of the Year for his service in helping to combat financial fraud that is often targeted at senior citizens. Swaim was born and raised in Athens County and he is vice president and treasurer of Hocking Valley Bank, where he has worked for 32 years. He has been active in a wide range of bank-initiated community outreach efforts over his career.
In recent years, Swaim has been actively involved with senior and community organizations to educate seniors about identifying and responding to mail, computer and telephone fraud schemes targeting them. His local roots and family, plus knowledge of local people, places and events have fostered trust and comfort with the organizations, families and individuals he serves. Swaim often visits senior bank clients in their homes or assisted living facilities to balance check books, discuss financial strategies and to answer questions and share information.
The Athens Jaycees Senior Fund through the Athens County Foundation awards the Senior of the Year annually to a senior (65 or older) who has provided key leadership in our community, especially related to issues affecting the quality of life of seniors or in the area of philanthropy.
Sarah Adkins earns Foster B. Cornwell Award
Sarah Adkins was recognized with the Foster B. Cornwell Award for her work to improve the health of those living in Athens County and southeast Ohio. Adkins is founder and executive director of Athens-based Rising Suns Pharmacy, a nonprofit pharmacy that provides free medications to people who are uninsured or underinsured. Adkins credited ACF for being the first to give financial support to the pharmacy project, which to date has served some 600 patients, dispensed 6,000 prescriptions, and saved $2.5 million in drug costs.
Adkins is a native of Athens County, where she attended Albany Elementary and then graduated from Athens High School in 1993. After completing her Doctor of Pharmacy in June 2010 from The Ohio State University College of Pharmacy, Adkins moved back to Athens in 2011.
Today, Adkins teaches pharmacy sciences at Ohio University’s Heritage College of Osteopathic Medicine and College of Health Sciences and Professions. She is passionate and dedicated to her communities in Appalachia, southeast Ohio, and Athens.
She founded Solly and Sammy’s Fund for Peace to honor and remember her sons who died through gun violence. The fund, now held at the Athens County Foundation, supports projects and initiatives that promote healing, support and education. Some examples are paying for burial costs in cases where other funds aren’t available, and grants to organizations such as Camp Lionheart, My Sister’s Place, Osage Corral and Ohio Coalition Against Gun Violence.
The Athens County Foundation Foster B. Cornwell Award was established in 1996 in honor of Foster B. Cornwell’s legacy of care and commitment to Athens County and to recognize those with a similar vison and dedication to Athens County.
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