A Season of Thankfulness
By the time you read this, I will just be completing the first year in my role as Executive Director for the Fayette Community Foundation – and what a year it has been! When I joined the Foundation, I knew it would take equal parts hard work, drive, and passion to serve the community. Throughout the last year, I’ve witnessed those traits times ten in the people who work for, with, and in support of the Foundation. They are the ones who fit their service to the Foundation into lives already full of day jobs, parenting, volunteering commitments, and more. They’re the ones who stay up late, show up early, and give as much as they can for us to get the job done – and I’d like to take this opportunity to highlight them and publicly thank them for their service.
In no particular order – and just in time for a season of Thankfulness next month – I’d like to extend a huge “thank you” to:
- Morgan Hamilton, our Community Engagement Officer, and Abigail Roszell, our Office Coordinator and Data Specialist. Morgan and Abi are the ones working behind the scenes (and sometimes right up front) to ensure everything functions smoothly for donors, our local nonprofit agencies and grant recipients, and our scholarship recipients. I wouldn’t be able to do my job well without them on the team.
- Billie Watkins, our Early Learning Coalition Coordinator. Billie’s work has been essential for our Early Learning Coalition – our network of organizations and parents that value early childhood education and push for community success. If you are interested in joining this coalition as a parent, educator, or interested party, reach out to us and we’ll put you in touch with Billie!
- Our Board of Directors, currently including Colin Judd, Devin Hornsby, Carol Hunter, John Clarke, Dr. Jay Bernzott, Georgia Green, the Honorable Paul Freed, and Greg O’Brien. We’re grateful for their strategic and financial oversight so that the Foundation can continue to be a pillar of support for Fayette County.
- Our Grant Committee, whose members score applications and recommend grants for Board approval. I’m exceptionally grateful for their work in helping funds go to the places where the community needs the most support and ensuring donors’ wishes are carried out in perpetuity.
- Our Lilly Scholarship Committee, for interviewing the Lilly Endowment Community Scholarship finalists and helping make a life-altering decision for one of our current Fayette County high school seniors.
- The talented teams who support us with their accounting, IT, and marketing expertise.
Finally, I’d like to extend my gratitude to our donors who make such an important impact on the community. We would not be here without their generosity and their trust in us to be stewards of their precious gifts to Fayette County. I hope to make them proud of our work and continue to serve their philanthropic goals and support the community for many years to come.
As we enter a season when time seems to pass quickly, pressures mount, and the holidays loom ever so near, I invite you to take time for gratitude. Slow down and acknowledge the gifts and beauty of those around you. Recognize that it takes many hands to improve and grow our community and – if you have the interest – consider joining us. If you’d like to help us do even more good for Fayette County, give us a call at (765) 827-9966 or email info@givetofcf.com.