The Mid-Shore Community Foundation held its 13th Annual Meeting on Thursday, September 15th. More than 100 people attended the meeting at the historic Avalon Theatre, which featured reports on various achievements made during the Foundation’s 13th year. The theme of Mid-Shore’s annual meeting was “Stewards of Philanthropy,” which reflects the Community Foundation’s role as the primary promoter of charitable giving in the Mid-Shore region.
The community foundation has the honor of administering 108 charitable funds for individuals, families and non-profit organizations across the five-county region. In fiscal year 2005, 27 funds were established. Of those 27, 15 non-profit agency endowment funds were created as a means of protecting charitable dollars for the future of their work and their mission.
Mr. F. Graham Lee, president of the Foundation, mentioned that the Community Foundation’s Grants Committee has worked to update and restructure the grantmaking program so that distributions are more focused and strategic. Grant requests are at an all-time high and the number of grants approved hit an all-time high also, $639,318 to 160 organizations, primarily in the Maryland counties of Caroline, Dorchester, Kent, Queen Anne’s and Talbot. The Grants Committee has taken a more active role visiting grantees to make sure gifts are used for their intended purpose.
Amy Steward, development and marketing manager at Adkins Arboretum, spoke of the improved effectiveness of the Foundation’s grants process. During the Foundation’s spring 2005 grants cycle, the Arboretum’s request for monies for an expanded children’s program was funded in full by various funds of the Foundation and a private foundation alerted to the request by the Foundation.
Chrissy Aull, Head of School at Wye River Upper School, a non-profit endowment partner of the Foundation, spoke to the crowd about the support the Foundation has provided and shared a PSA that Wye River Upper School students produced with technical equipment purchased through grants from various funds of the Foundation.
Mr. Lee announced the creation of a new award, the “Golden Key Society,” founded to honor and thank those professional advisors who have opened the door to philanthropy and who have guided their clients to Mid-Shore Community Foundation in order to meet their individual charitable objectives through estate or financial planning. Those local professionals obtaining membership in the Society include Lloyd L. Beatty, CPA, Paul M. Bowman, Esq., David C. Bryan, Esq., Charles T. Capute, Esq., Richard L. Counts, III, Esq., W. Thomas Fountain, Esq., Mark M. Freestate, Ann K. Goodman, Esq., N. Bryson Goss, Thomas E. Hill, Robert E. Jarrell, Esq., Charles R. Kenney, CPA, Ronald B. Lee, Esq., John W. McGinnis, CPA, Alexander P. Rasin, III, Esq., Lou E. Satchell, CPA, George W. Seger, and C. Curry Wilford.
Membership into the “Town Watch” Society was granted this year to Charles T. Capute, Esq. Mr. Capute serves as Chair of the Foundation. Established and maintained through Mid-Shore Community Foundation, the Town Watch Society recognizes prominent and revered individuals who are deeply involved in the support of the communities through the Community Foundation. New members are installed yearly. Mr. Capute joins Alice R. Bower, Thomas E. Robinson, Joseph B., Jr. & Frances P. Stevens, Lloyd L. Beatty, W. Moorhead Vermilye, Charles E. Wheeler, Esq., and T. Hughlett Henry (in memoriam) in this esteemed society.
The J. McKenny Willis, Jr., Community Service Award was granted to Lloyd L. Beatty, CPA and the Talbot County United Fund. The Willis award is given to a non-profit organization that has made significant contributions to the Mid-Shore, and to the individual most responsible for its success. Mr. Beatty, who recently retired from CBIZ Beatty Satchell, was instrumental in creating the United Fund of Talbot County.
Stuart “Mickey” Elsberg, of Chestertown, a sales and marketing executive for E*Cash, a merchant bankcard provider, and J. Thomas Rhodes, Jr., president & CEO of Queenstown Bank of Maryland, are the two newest members of the Board of The Foundation, which facilitates and promotes philanthropy for the five-county Mid-Shore region.
In addition, the board approved its slate of officers for fiscal year 2006, re-electing Charles T. Capute as chairman; Lloyd L. Beatty as treasurer; and W. Moorhead Vermilye as secretary.
Also re-elected as committee chairs were W. Moorhead Vermilye (nominating), Charles L. Lea, Jr. (investment), Alice R. Bower (grants), and Hamish S. Osborne, (strategic planning). County Advisory Committee chairs include Jeffrey Heflebower, Caroline County; Charles W. Kelly, Dorchester County; Alexander P. Rasin, III, Esq., Kent County; Mark M. Freestate, Queen Anne’s County; and W. Thomas Fountain, Talbot County.
Beatty will continue to serve as chairman of the finance committee and Capute on the executive committee.
The Annual Report for FY 2004 and FY 2005 can be viewed on-line at www.mscf.org after October 10, 2005. For additional information on the Mid-Shore Community Foundation, contact F. Graham Lee, President, at (410) 820-8175.
