Nearly 200 attend Appreciation Luncheon

  The Community Foundation of the Dan River Region featured several grant recipients and reported continued growth at its Appreciation Luncheon held Thursday, November 17, 2011 at the Danville Golf Club.

 Nearly 200 supporters heard three stories of help. Elizabeth Marshall shared how grants from The Community Foundation helped patients at the Danville Speech and Hearing Center. Jeff Liverman described how The Community Foundation supported the Danville Science Center’s traveling exhibits. Rev. Freddy Vicks, Third Avenue Congregational Christian Church, discussed the transfer of the Robert and Bernice Milam Scholarship. A special feature this year was entertainment by the Danville Junior String Quartet.

 Debra Dodson, Executive Director, stated, “This is such a great opportunity for us to thank our many supporters. We thank them for proving that even though our region faces many challenges, together, we can truly make a difference. This past year we have fed the hungry, given hope to college students, filled our halls with music and art, and touched many lives.”

  Some highlights of The Community Foundation’s impact this past year include: –

 a)      Receiving gifts of more than $2.5 million, even during a down economy.

 b)      Awarding 74 college scholarships of $162,000.

 c)      Presenting grants of $1.1 million to 75 area organizations.

 d)     Continuing to convene a quarterly Funders Forum of eight area foundations.

 e)      Serving as the fiscal agent for the National Fund for Workforce Solutions grant to the Dan River Region Collaborative which has raised over $1.5 million for specialized regional training. The Collaborative has also just received a federal Social Innovation grant of $300,000.

 f)       Continuing to sell bricks and accept support for the local Veterans Memorial. We are close to selling 6,000 engraved bricks!

 g)      Introducing a completely new web site, www.cfdrr.org, which offers online giving for the first time. A grant from the J.T.-Minnie Maude Charitable Trust made the project possible.

Donors established ten new funds under the Foundation’s umbrella for a total of 94 funds with total assets of $24,208,216 as of June 30, 2011. The Community Foundation has returned more than $13 million in grants and scholarships to the region in its 15 years of history.

 The Community Foundation’s mission is to improve and enrich the lives of people in our community by encouraging the generosity of donors. Donors may establish their own endowment fund to support particular areas of interest or may make unrestricted gifts to any existing fund.

For more information, contact the Community Foundation at 541 Loyal Street, Danville, VA 24541, (434) 793-0884 or through their web site www.cfdrr.org.