Texas alums establish tornado relief funds
Trees were recently planted on the Kansas State University campus as part of a gift from generous K-State alumni to replace those trees damaged by the June 11 tornado that hit Manhattan, Kan.
Carl and Mary Ice, Colleyville, Texas, made a gift of $40,000 to K-State to establish the Carl R. and Mary T. Ice Landscape Beautification Fund, the Carl R. and Mary T. Ice Hoeflin Stone House Child Care Center Tornado Relief Fund and the Carl R. and Mary T. Ice Tornado Relief Fund.
A tornado between two and four blocks wide touched down on the K-State Manhattan campus, causing a minimum of $20 million in reported damages. The Ice’s gift will help combat that destruction.
The Carl R. and Mary T. Ice Landscape Beautification Fund was established with a gift of $25,000 and will provide financial assistance for landscape renewal for the College of Engineering and College of Human Ecology.
The Carl R. and Mary T. Ice Tornado Relief Fund was established with a gift of $10,000 and will be used to provide the purchase and planting of trees on the K-State campus to replace tornado-damaged trees.
The Carl R. and Mary T. Ice Hoeflin Stone House Child Care Center Tornado Relief Fund was established with a gift of $5,000 and will be used to provide new trees at the Stone House Center and the C.Q. and Georgia Chandler Institute for Child and Family Studies in order for the center to meet certification requirements for shade on the playground.
“Carl and Mary’s gift will help K-State continue to meet the challenge of making the university better than ever,” said K-State President Jon Wefald. “Their contribution represents a remarkable spirit of leadership and philanthropy.”
Carl graduated from K-State in 1979 with a bachelor’s degree in industrial engineering. During his time at K-State, Carl was a State of Kansas Scholar and Boeing Scholar. He serves as a member of the College of Engineering Advisory Council and was awarded Engineering’s highest honor, induction into the College of Engineering Hall of Fame. Currently, Carl is the executive vice president and COO of Burlington Northern Santa Fe. Mary graduated from K-State in 1980 with a bachelor’s degree in home economics education. In 1988, she received her master’s degree in adult occupational continuing education. While at K-State, Mary was the recipient of the Anna and George Morton Home Economics Centennial Scholarship.
Carl and Mary are both members of the Presidents Club, a KSU Foundation philanthropic leadership organization for friends and alumni of K-State, and the KSU Foundation Board of Trustees. In addition, they are both members of the College of Engineering Seaton Society and the College of Human Ecology Legacy of Excellence Honorary Society at premier levels.
They have established numerous funds including the Carl Ice Engineering Scholarship, Mary How Ice Human Ecology Scholarship, Marshall Ice DB92 Radio Student Award, Ice Family Student Emergency Fund, Mary How Ice Excellence in Human Ecology and Carl R. Ice Deans Excellence Fund. In total, they have contributed more than $400,000 to K-State.
Philanthropic contributions to K-State are coordinated by the Kansas State University Foundation. The foundation manages fundraising efforts with alumni, friends, corporations and foundations to secure private support for the university.