Community Foundation of
the Virginias, Inc.
"We make a living by what we get; we make a life by what we give." - Winston Churchill
Welcome to the Community Foundation of the Virginias, Inc. Web site.
The Community Foundation of the Virginias, Inc. promotes philanthropy by fostering charitable giving, serving our donors' interests, and effectively responding to the needs and opportunities of communities in Mercer County, West Virginia and Tazewell County, Virginia.
Through scholarships and grants in the areas of Education, the Arts, Culture and the Humanities, Health, and Human Services, the Community Foundation matches the generosity of the people of our area with the needs of area organizations and individuals.
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Featured Grant Recipient:
Bluefield, WV Lions Club - Sight Van
A grant from the Community Foundation assisted the Bluefield Lions Club in their sight preservation project during the Mountain Festival.
Featured Grant Recipient:
The Wade Center - Dorothy's Door
A grant from the Community Foundation helped fund a new daycare center for teen mothers and their children.
Featured Grant Recipient: Bluefield College
A grant from the Community Foundation helped fund a speech contest for high school students.
Foundation Awards 43 Scholarships
The Community Foundation of the Virginias' Board of Directors met May 18 and among other business approved scholarships for 43 area students to assist in financing their college education at a variety of colleges and universities, including Bluefield College, Bluefield State College, Concord University, Emory and Henry College, High Point University, Liberty University, Marshall University, Southwest Virginia Community College, UNC-Chapel Hill, University of Virginia, Virginia Tech, Wake Forest University and West Virginia University.
Most of the recipients are high school seniors, although there are a few students receiving scholarships in subsequent years of their education.
These awards, totaling $31,950, were made from following scholarship funds resident at the Foundation:
The Alex Mahood Fund
The Alfred and Shirley Wampler Caudill Scholarship Fund
The Doctor Jack Walter Witten Scholarship Fund
The E.R. Gillespie Scholarship Fund
The Grace Hanna and Maurice Weinberg Scholarship Fund
The Graham High School Scholarship Fund
The Harman Masonic Lodge #222 fund
The Joshua Lee Shutt Memorial Scholarship Fund
The Ralph H. and Shirley D. Kiser Family Scholarship Fund
The Rose Sinicrope Fund; the Roy R. Raub M.D. Scholarship Fund
The William G. Skewes Scholarship Fund
Recipients will receive their awards at their school awards ceremony, or notification through the mail in the next few days.
Congratulations to the recipients, and good luck in college!
Ridge Runner Restoration Progressing
The cross-ties have been replaced along the Ridge Runner's track, and the last spike has been driven, during a brief ceremony on April 27th.
Work on the Train Station is progressing, and the goal of having the "little train that could" up and running and taking passengers on trips through Lotito Park is expected to be reached by the July 4th weekend.
Ridge Runner officials say that the public will be treated to free rides during the grand re-opening of the attraction.
2010 Grant Cycle Open Until June 30
The Community Foundation of the Virginias, Inc. is accepting applications for grants until June 30, 2010. Applications will be reviewed and evaluated in July and August, and recommendations for awards will be presented to the Foundation Board of Directors at its September meeting. Applicants will be informed whether or not their application has been approved following the September meeting.
Information and materials can be found here.
Officers, Directors elected at Foundation Annual Meeting
The Community Foundation of the Virginias, Inc., held its Annual Meeting on Tuesday, March 9, 2010, at its offices on North Street in Bluefield, after snowy weather forced postponement of the meeting in February.
The Foundation wishes to express its appreciation to outgoing President Bob Perkinson, who has ably led the organization for the past two years, and served as Chair of the Grants Committee in 2009, and also appreciates the service of three Board members whose terms have ended, Loretta Corte, Dr. Don Caudill, and Tamie Toler. Mr. Perkinson will continue to serve as a member of the Board of Directors.
The organization’s success depends largely upon the efforts of its volunteer Officers, Directors and Committee members. Officers elected for 2010 are: President, Charles Carter; Vice President, Julie Johnson; Secretary, Betty Gardner Bailey; Treasurer, Matt Martin.
Directors reappointed to four-year terms are: Frank Brady, Kathleen Blaydes, Bob Perkinson, Mary Raub, Jim Steorts, Sara Whitt and Pat Whittaker. The Community Foundation is pleased to welcome five new members to the Board: Sam Hill, Larry Douglas, Susan Cooper-Snyder, Kermit Moore and Gene Bailey.
Region Mourns the death of Max Kammer
The Foundation is saddened to learn that long-time Bluefield businessman and community leader Max Kammer passed away Monday, March 8, 2010. Mr. Kammer's business, Kammer Furniture & Appliance Company has been a staple in downtown Bluefield, West Virginia, for decades.
Mr. and Mrs. Kammer started the Max L. and Virginia S. Kammer Family Scholarship Fund in 1998 to support graduating high school seniors who plan to major in Agriculture and Forestry at West Virginia University.
The Kammer family has requested that memorial gifts for Mr. Kammer be made to the Max L. and Virginia S. Kammer Family Scholarship Fund and made payable to the Community Foundation of the Virginias, Inc., P.O. Box 4127, Bluefield, WV 24701
The Tom Colley Memorial Fund
A fund in memory of
long-time Bluefield Daily Telegraph executive editor Tom Colley is being
established
by the Center for International Understanding, one of Tom’s favorite
organizations. The CIU Youth Outreach Programs Tom Colley Memorial Fund
is a Build-a-Fund that will support
scholarships for CIU Youth Club members to pursue international studies.
Tom, who was awarded the Distinguished West Virginian award from Governor Joe Manchin, III at the Foundation's Annual Dinner in 2008, was the Chair of the CIU Board of Directors, and also an active member of the Community Foundation Board of Directors for several years, and his work on behalf of both organizations up until his untimely death in January of 2009 was instrumental in the success that each organization has achieved.
Initial funding for the Colley Memorial has been provided by individuals who have donated to the CIU, Inc. in Tom’s memory, and from the CIU itself. Donations from the public to the Tom Colley Memorial Fund are now being accepted.
"Save the Ridge Runner Committee"
achieves $150,000 goal
2009 Annual Dinner a Great Success!
The Community Foundation of the Virginias, Inc. held its Annual Dinner fund raiser, Thursday, November 19 at Fincastle Country Club.
It was a great evening, as a sell-out crowd of 175 guests gathered to celebrate another successful year, the largest number to attend an Annual Dinner.
Fincastle CC Chef Rick Tabor outdid himself, preparing a delicious dinner of salad, beef, salmon, mashed potatoes and green beans, with a specially made chocolate swan dessert.
Following remarks on the
past year by Foundation President Bob Perkinson, our special guest,
James C. "Jim" Justice, II, successful West Virginia businessman and the
new owner of The Greenbrier resort, gave a stimulating speech on the
value of hard work, not giving up, and of charitable activities.
Mr. Justice is a native West Virginian from Raleigh County who joined his family’s business in 1976. After his father’s death in 1993, he became President and CEO of Bluestone Industries, Inc. and Bluestone Coal Corporation, and in the late 90s expanded the coal operations into Kentucky, Tennessee and Virginia. He purchased The Greenbrier resort last spring.
Following his address, Lecia Smith, chair of the "Save the Ridge Runner" committee, presented a large framed photograph of the Ridge Runner to Mr. Justice, who unexpectedly pledged to match up to $25,000 in contributions to the train project, which will achieve the fund raising goal of $150,000.
The Annual Dinner netted the Foundation approximately $9,000 in charitable contributions, which will go to benefit area non-profit organizations and deserving students.
Community Foundation Awards 2009 Grants
During
the 13th Annual Grants Cycle the Community Foundation of the
Virginias, Inc. reviewed 48 grant applications from organizations in
Mercer County and Tazewell County.
At its September meeting the Board of Directors approved 30 grants totaling just over $30,000 for area projects and organizations. Grant applicants will receive formal notification in the near future about their applications.
Due to the poor investment climate in 2008, the Foundation was hampered
in its ability to fund worthwhile applicants, or was forced to make
awards at reduced levels.
In its 13 years of grant making the Foundation has distributed nearly
$600,000 to worthwhile community organizations and projects, and to
deserving students.
Community Foundation helps with funding for YMCA
A
10-year dream has become reality with the dedication and ribbon cutting
of the new Four Seasons YMCA in Tazewell. The facility cost
more than $7 million, and had been open and in use for about 70 days
when the August 28 ceremony was held.
The facility already has more than 3,500 members from a seven-county area, including Mercer, Tazewell and Bland counties.
The Community Foundation awarded a grant from the Sandra Gayle Monk Memorial Fund applied to the handicapped accessibility unit at the swimming pool.
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Community Foundation of the Virginias, Inc.
128 North Street ● P.O. Box 4127 ● Bluefield, WV 24701
Phone: 304-324-0222 ● Fax: 304-324-7716
Email: admin@cfvinc.org
Member of the South Bluefield Merchants and Professional Association
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