Ray and Charlotte Baldauf Charitable Trust gifts $350,000
The legacy left by a Marion woman, who once worked for Huber Manufacturing, means that work will begin on a new walking/bike trail around the Marion campus and will put her name on the organic chemistry lab in the new Ohio State Marion science and engineering building now under construction.
The Ray and Charlotte Baldauf Charitable Trust is contributing $100,000 toward planning and construction of a trail loop that will incorporate the leg already constructed adjacent to University Drive.
The Baldauf funds will be added to funds already contributed to the trail project by Marion General Hospital. The new trail is expected to connect with neighborhoods to the east and west of the campus, as well as connect to Marion’s existing bike routes through the city and extending west along the Marion Tall Grass Trail.
Planning for the new trail is underway through Ohio State’s Facilities, Operations, and Development Office.
In addition to the gift for the trail, the Baldauf Trust is donating $250,000 toward construction of Ohio State’s new science/engineering building. The new building’s organic chemistry lab will be named in honor of Charlotte Baldauf, who died on April 5th at the age of 92.
Gift agreements for the two projects were signed Tuesday, September 27th by Ohio State Marion Dean and Director Dr. Greg Rose and local attorney Ron Cramer, who manages the Baldauf Trust.
“We are particularly pleased that these funds stay in Marion and will benefit the community for decades to come,” said Cramer as he inked the agreements.
Dean Rose noted how appropriate it is that funds provided by Mrs. Baldauf, who worked for Huber, a company known for its innovative engineering, would be used to build a structure that will help educate a new generation of Ohio State engineers in Marion.
Edward Huber invented the revolving hay rake and was one of the founders of the Marion Steam Shovel Company. Huber Manufacturing went on to produce agricultural and road maintenance equipment, becoming one of Marion’s leading manufacturers. Huber, who had over 100 patents to his name, was also a founder of the Marion Steam Shovel Company (later Marion Power Shovel), that made large earth moving equipment and produced the NASA crawlers still carrying space vehicles to the launch pads at Cape Canaveral.
“This new science and engineering building will insure that Marion continues to produce innovators in the mold of Edward Huber—and we’re honored to have the Baldauf legacy helping us maintain that tradition,” said Dean Rose.
Naming opportunities still exist in the new $15.5 million science and engineering building. Ruscilli Construction of Columbus is managing the project, which is on track to be completed in time for the 2017 fall semester.