Parkersburg Area Community Foundation encouraging donations for Park Avenue Society
The Park Avenue Society Plaque was handmade to commemorate those who have been crucial in securing and improving a home for the foundation. (Photo Provided)
Members of the Parkersburg Area Community Foundation board along with Park Avenue Society members, employees and guests attended a dedication on Nov. 9. (Photo Provided)
The Park Avenue Society Plaque was handmade to commemorate those who have been crucial in securing and improving a home for the foundation. (Photo Provided)
Members of the Parkersburg Area Community Foundation board along with Park Avenue Society members, employees and guests attended a dedication on Nov. 9. (Photo Provided)
Trending
PARKERSBURG -- The Parkersburg Area Community Foundation is encouraging donations to a fund for the sustainability of its Park Avenue office.
The foundation will welcome gifts of $1,620 from individuals, couples and businesses to add their names to the Park Avenue Society to help sustain the headquarters for the years to come, Executive Director Fred Rader said. The office is at 1620 Park Ave.
"Many persons locally support some of the larger universities' football teams annually with gifts of $1,100," he said. "Support for the PACF's Park Avenue Society with a gift of $1,620 is support for the hometown team, the team that is helping so many of others locally."
The foundation in 2010 acquired its first permanent office on Park Avenue, which needed significant renovations to shift it from serving the public as a former church to serving the public as a community foundation. Many volunteers and donors helped to ensure the building had the resources to support sufficient electrical and plumbing service, that it was made more accessible for people with mobility challenges and that it was modified to fit a growing office staff.
The Park Avenue Society was created to assist with the purchase and remodeling of the building and to serve as an ongoing source of funds from which future improvements could be made. Many gifts were larger than $1,620.
The Vasan Family supplied the lead gift to purchase the building itself and make major improvements to the front entry and roof. Dr. Usha Vasan remains active with the foundation as an emeritus board member.
Other individuals and businesses joined in as major donors with cash or in-kind efforts, such as Family Kitchen's donation of cabinets for the kitchen and Home Depot's gift of employee labor and a grant for appliances.
Jim Crews, still active with the foundation as an emeritus board member, was the volunteer building superintendent and enlisted his friend, Jim Beck, and numerous other friends in the restoration and construction of offices.
The Park Avenue Society has achieved several significant milestones in recent years helping to improve the building's functionality and sustainability. Sound panels and updated teleconferencing equipment were added in the conference room to better meet communication needs during the pandemic.
This summer, thanks to support from Chip and Jan Pickering and Dr. Wayne and Kay Dunn, the installation of solar panels was accomplished, significantly improving the foundation's electrical bills.
Key ongoing support has come from a group of dedicated volunteers including Bob and Mary Wright, Crews, Randy Dick and Joe Caltrider, who collectively received a Governor's Service award for their work on the conference room.
For more information, contact Rader at 304-428-4438 or email fred.rader@pacfwv.com.