HUTCHINSON, Kan. — The Salvation Army of Reno County, the Christian Soup Ministry, the Reno County Food Bank, and Hospice and Homecare of Reno County will benefit from a $1.1 million gift to the Hutchinson Community Foundation.

The gift was made through the Arthur R. and Margery A. Eveland Fund through the Hutchinson Community Foundation. The Evelands also left a portion of their estate to Trinity United Methodist Church. The $255,000 will support Trinity’s ministries, operations and property upgrades.

Originally from Nebraska, the Evelands moved to Hutchinson after Art’s service as a corpsman with the 4th Marine Division during World War II. They began Art Eveland Photography. The business became a regional draw for portrait, event and commercial photography. The couple joined Trinity United Methodist Church on May 18, 1952.

The pair lived modestly and they quietly gave wherever they saw a need — be it canned-good donations to the Reno County Food Bank, clothing to high school students in need, or paying for their church’s kitchen renovation. The Evelands retired in 1986. Art died Nov. 7, 2017, at age 94, and Margery died Feb. 21, 2018, at age 91.

Additionally, Hutchinson Community Foundation received nearly $900,000 from the estate of Avory and Lois Johnson, longtime Hutchinson business owners and active community volunteers.

The Johnsons’ fund will support First Call for Help, The Salvation Army of Hutchinson, the Cosmosphere and the Reno County Emergency Energy Fund. The largest portion of the gift will create an endowed fund to support emergency medical services and training of students to become EMTs or paramedics in Reno County.

The exact dollar amounts each organization will receive from the estates have not been finalized. Organizations will be informed when those details are available.