Community invited to celebrate Paul and Kim White and Greg and Elaine White at Ripple Effect
The Midland Area Community Foundation invites the community to attend Ripple Effect on Wednesday, October 21, from 4:30 to 6:30 p.m. at the Midland Country Club. This year’s celebration will honor Paul and Kim White and Greg and Elaine White as the Foundation’s 2026 Philanthropists of the Year.
The free event offers an opportunity to thank both couples, celebrate the impact of community philanthropy, and connect with others who care about Midland County. Beverages and light appetizers will be served beginning at 4:30 p.m., with the program starting at 5 p.m.
The Philanthropist of the Year award recognizes community members whose voluntary service, financial generosity, or both have made a meaningful difference in the Midland area. This year’s honorees demonstrate how commitment to helping others can become a family tradition and inspire service across generations.
Paul & Kim White
Greg & Elaine White
For Paul and Kim White, giving back has long been woven into everyday family life. As small business owners in the dry-cleaning industry, they developed relationships that deepened their understanding of community needs. They carried that commitment into raising their four sons, making volunteering and generosity part of their family’s everyday life.
For 14 years, the family served lunch one Saturday each month at Midland’s Open Door. All four sons earned the rank of Eagle Scout. Through their fund at the Midland Area Community Foundation, Paul and Kim also involved their sons in choosing nonprofit organizations to support, encouraging each to explain why an organization’s work mattered.
After their son Adam was born with Down syndrome, Paul and Kim became advocates for people with disabilities. Paul held leadership roles with The Arc of Midland and The Arc of Michigan, while Kim supported local disability awareness and education efforts. Kim also served as a Foundation trustee and grants committee member. Both continue to volunteer, mentor others, and support community causes.
Greg and Elaine White’s generosity also reflects a family tradition. Greg’s parents, Marge and Fred White, purchased Ace Hardware in 1969, and Greg and Elaine assumed ownership in 1996. Their daughter and son-in-law, Amy and Daniel Buzzell, continue that tradition, connecting the family business with opportunities to serve the community.
Through charitable contributions, donated supplies, and hands-on service, Greg and Elaine have supported youth programs, Little League baseball, local schools, arts and cultural experiences, and nonprofit fundraisers. Their commitment also extends to helping neighbors recover from disaster, providing cleaning supplies and building materials to support local flood recovery efforts.
Both deliver meals through Senior Services’ Meals on Wheels program and support youth through the Midland County 4-H livestock auction. Greg helps prepare the Midland Area Santa House for the holiday season, while Elaine shares her gardening skills at Senior Services, Blessed Sacrament Church, and other community locations. Her volunteer service also includes Dow Gardens and work through the Chemical City Garden Club to maintain veterans’ graves and public plantings.
Together, these two couples demonstrate the many ways philanthropy takes shape, from delivering a meal and tending a garden to supporting a nonprofit or teaching children the value of giving. Ripple Effect invites the community to celebrate those contributions and the lasting impact of people who consistently answer the call to help.
Community members are encouraged to reserve their place at https://www.midlandfoundation.org/ripple-effect/ or call 989-839-9661.
Since 1973, area residents have turned to the Midland Area Community Foundation to make their philanthropic giving as effective as possible. We are a public charity serving thousands of people who share a common concern to improve the quality of life in our community.
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