THE GORGE — Gorge Community Foundation (GCF) is honoring one leader while welcoming another. Lynn Everroad, operations director and founding member, retired this spring before passing away on June 17 in Stevenson.
She was part of a small group who launched GCF in 1998 to support Gorge communities “into perpetuity,” said former executive director Jill Burnette, and, as a professional fundraiser, had “broad experience and deep affection for the Gorge.”
Despite its initial skeptics — how could Skamania, Klickitat, Hood River, Sherman, Gilliam and Wasco counties, with a combined population of about 90,000, support a community foundation across two states with different tax laws? — GCF now manages 106 funds and has made $5.7 million in regional grants since its inception.
Everroad watched the nonprofit grow from its first grants issued in 2001 to today’s $11 million “powerhouse” that gives more than $500,000 in grants and scholarships each year to Gorge nonprofits “including arts and culture, education, social services, environment, youth, senior services, and to students throughout the six-county service area,” Burnette said.
“Lynn knocked on doors, signed up neighbors, canvassed for donations of $5, $10 and $100, and encouraged many who might otherwise have sent their donations elsewhere to create their own donor advised funds and focus their giving where they lived,” she said.
In a 2002 Hood River News article, Everroad said, “We’re here to address the single largest problem in the nonprofit sector: the sustainability of funding.”
Everroad also served as the executive director of the Hood River Memorial Hospital Foundation for eight years and supervised building the hospital’s Ray T. Yasui Dialysis Center.
Mary Nicolet was named the new operations director, and brings financial and operational experience the position; Tucker Szymkowicz serves as executive director.
Everroad’s family and board members have established Lynn’s Fund to both honor her and continue GCF’s work into the future, said Szymkowicz. Those interested in donating to Lynn’s Fund can do so at www.gorgecf.org/donations/givewp-donation-form-2.
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