St. Luke Lutheran Church - Tiffani Busch-Picken Endowment

The Tiffani Busch-Pickens Endowment helps fund St. Luke’s Youth Ministry activities outside the Church’s normal operating budget. Examples of support might include Lutheridge Camp fees and other youth rally events. We have more than $35,000 invested with the Lutheran Community Foundation (LCF), which invests our money to grow the Fund. We distribute a portion of the Fund’s growth each year to support priority youth programs. The Fund was established in memory of Tiffani Busch-Pickens, a member of the former Living Word Lutheran Church congregation and mother of Seth Pickens. She strongly believed in our youth programs and supported her son in them.

Tiffani Busch-Pickens, a single mother with a 6-year-old child, was killed on Saturday, July 17, 2001 at the Home Depot store in Morrow where she worked as a department manager. Tiffani shielded Lisa Atkins, who was fleeing from her estranged boyfriend, behind her while trying to convince Atkins' armed and angry suitor Brandon Bolton to leave the store. Bolton also killed Atkins prior to taking his own life.

Tiffani was an active member of our church and is deeply missed.

One way you can help grow this Fund is by volunteering to take gate tickets in the Fall during weekend high school football games at Clayton County’s Tara Stadium in Jonesboro and at Twelve Oaks Stadium in Lovejoy. It’s easy. The time commitment is about three hours, starting at 6:30 pm on Thursdays, Fridays and Saturdays. You earn $35 for the Fund each time you work.

You may also give directly to the Fund through designated Sunday offerings. Checks should be made out to St. Luke and annotated ”Tiffani Busch-Pickens Endowment.“ To donate gifts other than cash, please contact a member of the Endowment Fund Committee.

For general Fund information, contact Fund Committee Chairman Carol Elrod, Conrad Busch or Paul Egas. For ticket-taking information, contact Mary Beth Egas.