Robin Hood
Friday, 11 February 2011 21:24
Years ago, I attempted to explain to my seven year-old what the Community Foundation does and how generous people start charitable funds to benefit others in Frederick County.
After what I thought was my very eloquent and informative account of what I do at work, my child’s face went from puzzled to enlightened. Then she exclaimed, “I get it. You are like Robin Hood. You take from the rich and give to the poor!”
Well, not quite.
Most of our donors are not the Bill Gates’ or Warren Buffet’s of the community.
Our fund founders come from all walks of life. Some have advanced degrees and some have no formal education. Some inherited sums of money and others started out in life with limited resources. More than a few have shared stories of living through the Depression and how those hard times taught them life’s lessons. Several of our donors may be considered to be “high net worth” but most are people like you and me…people who work hard, love their families, strive to be good citizens, and want to leave their community a little bit better when it’s their time to go.
This is the common thread for all of our fund founders – the desire to make a difference.
When families create funds in memory of their deceased children, it is always out of a desire to create something positive out of a loss that is so tragic. That desire helps to heal, to give back, and to remember.
For fund founders who establish funds bearing their names, it’s a way to create a legacy and ensure their favorite causes will continue to receive financial support long after their demise.
And I can’t forget the fund founders who create funds just because they feel it is the right thing to do.
No matter the reason, no matter where our fund founders fall within Robin Hood’s world of “rich or poor”, the common thread of wanting to make a difference weaves the fabric of positive and lasting change in our community that is For Good. Forever. For Frederick County.
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