Humble Beginnings, Huge Impact: Meet Susan Mills

Meet Susan Mills: native Huntington resident, beloved wife and mother, education advocate, service enthusiast and passionate Foundation donor. Susan established the Nate Mills Memorial Firefighter’s Fund in memory of her son to encourage firefighters to participate in as much training as possible, promoting his belief that ‘there is no such thing as too much training.’ The fund started with a contribution that Susan describes as “small”—but its impact has far exceeded its humble beginnings.

Susan created the fund in 2017 with an initial contribution of $1,300. Since its establishment, the fund has awarded ten times its original size, providing over $13,000 to help local firefighters receive valuable training. Susan’s story proves that there is no amount or cause too small to make a huge impact.  

The Foundation is honored to work alongside Susan to uphold the legacy of Nate Mills and his passion for pursuing further training and knowledge. Keep reading the Q&A below to learn more about Susan’s experience holding a fund with the Foundation, and the immense impact of the Nate Mills Memorial Firefighter’s Fund.

Q: What is the inspiration and purpose behind your fund?  

A: “My son, Nathan Mills, was a professional firefighter for Fort Wayne and a volunteer firefighter for Markle. He thoroughly believed, and often said, that ‘there is no such thing as too much training.’ He was so passionate about training that he would go to trainings and classes offered by other fire departments. Many times, he even traveled to other states for training. When he went to these trainings and classes, it was on his “own dime”. After his passing, we decided that the best way we could honor his memory would be to establish a fund to help other firefighters obtain extra training. The objective of the fund is to assist firefighters in obtaining training that will keep them safe and make them better firefighters. This filters down to benefit the residents of the county by providing them with highly trained firefighters to keep them and their properties safe.”

_{Nate Mills during his time as a Fort Wayne Firefighter} 

Q: Tell us more about Nate and the Nate Mills Memorial Firefighters Fund!  

A: “Nate loved being a firefighter; he lived and breathed firefighting. He loved the work, tradition and brotherhood of firefighting. He was always encouraging his fellow firefighters to learn and train. His fund, to date, has helped 73 firefighters and distributed over $13,000! The Nate Mills Memorial Firefighter’s Fund is the perfect way to keep his memory alive, and I believe he would be proud of his legacy. After all, ‘there is no such thing as too much training.’” 

Q: Tell us more about yourself! 

A: “I retired two years ago as Assistant Director of the Warren Public Library. Before my 20 years there, I worked part-time at United Way of Huntington County. I am a volunteer for Ride 2 Provide in Markle, active in my church, Solid Rock Church of Warren, and established and led the Llama and Alpaca 4-H Club in Huntington County for 20 years. My husband, John, and I have been married for over 54 years and have 3 children, 4 grandchildren and 6 great-grandchildren. I love to attend all of their sporting events, travel and entertain friends on our deck….my favorite room of the house!” 

Q: Why did you choose to start a fund with the Foundation?  

A: “I was trying to obtain a 501c3 to launch my fund and I consulted a lawyer. After our consultation, and feeling overwhelmed by the process, the lawyer suggested I speak to the Foundation. I stated that I thought my fund was too small and they would not be interested in me, but he insisted that I go talk to them. I took his advice and am so glad I did! The director at the time told me they would absolutely create my fund as a pass-through account. This meant that my fund would be under their 501c3 and they would take care of all the bookkeeping. It was definitely the right decision for me, and the Nate Mills Memorial Firefighter’s Fund.”  

Q: How have you seen your fund impact the Huntington community?

A: “The Huntington County departments the fund supports at this time are the volunteer departments of Markle, Mt. Etna and Warren. The fund has supported requests from all three of these departments, thus assisting and encouraging these firefighters from the community to obtain trainings that will make them better public servants. This year, the fund provided support to the new Fire and Rescue class at the Huntington County Community Learning Center, impacting future firefighters for our community. The fund also supports other emergency services by honoring requests from firefighters who have attended, and passed, EMS classes.” 

Q: What would you say to someone considering starting a fund with the Foundation?

A: “Do not hesitate to call or stop by the Foundation office to discuss your fund, or an idea for a fund. I thought they wouldn’t be interested in my fund because it was small, but they have many different types of funds—one may be just the right fit for what you have in mind! It’s been a wonderful experience working with Matt (Foundation Executive Director) and his staff. Everyone is very friendly, welcoming and helpful. It’s been great to hand over the “work” details of the fund to them and not have to worry about it.” 

The Nate Mills Memorial Firefighter’s Fund has had a profound effect on our community, and our team is honored to work alongside Susan to cultivate its impact. The Foundation is proud to memorialize loved ones through the creation of funds, both small and large. Those interested in learning more about memorial gifts are encouraged to contact our team.