Amy Nahley welcomes attendees to the 63rd Parkersburg Area Community Foundation Annual Meeting Friday afternoon. (Photo by Gwen Sour)

VIENNA — The Parkersburg Area Community Foundation marked more than six decades of philanthropy during its 63rd annual meeting, held Friday at the Parkersburg Country Club, highlighting grantmaking impact, leadership transitions and a focus on community collaboration.

The meeting brought together nonprofit leaders, board members, donors and community partners to reflect on the foundation’s work across its 11-county service region. The theme of this year’s gathering was “Small Acts. Strong Communities.”

Amy Nahley, who has served as PACF’s executive director for just over three weeks, told attendees the annual meeting was a celebration not only of donors, but also of the nonprofits doing work throughout the region.

“It is a celebration of all those who have come before us, who have invested into the community, and to show what we’ve accomplished over the year,” she said.

Nahley said the foundation remains stable and well-positioned despite recent leadership changes, noting that the year ahead will focus on “thoughtful growth, strategic alignment and staying true to the mission that has guided the PACF for generations.”

Rebekah Mathis-Stump celebrates the work of the Parkersburg Area Community Foundation at the Parkersburg Country Club on Friday afternoon. (Photo by Gwen Sour)

During the meeting, the foundation introduced staff members, recognized board leadership and honored retiring board members. Tom Whaling was named board chair, with Ryan Kent serving as vice chair, Randy Dick as treasurer and Lexi Miller as secretary. Alice Harris was welcomed as a new board member.

Retiring board members Bob Wright and Dave McClure were recognized for their service. Wright was honored for 10 years of service and was named board member emeritus, receiving a glass flame in recognition of his contributions.

The meeting also featured a keynote address from Rebekah Mathis-Stump, co-owner of Ethos Leadership Group LLC, who spoke about the cumulative impact of community philanthropy and the importance of consistent, local engagement.

“Community strength rarely shows up with fireworks,” Mathis-Stump said. “It shows up through steady choices that are made consistently over time.”

Mathis-Stump highlighted the foundation’s recent impact, noting that during fiscal year 2025, the PACF awarded more than $4.5 million in grants and scholarships while stewarding nearly $96 million in assets. She emphasized that the strength of community philanthropy lies not only in financial resources, but in relationships and collaboration.

The foundation also shared examples of responsive grantmaking, including emergency funding delivered to shelters and warming centers during an extreme cold snap in January 2025, and the distribution of grocery vouchers later in the year when potential SNAP benefit disruptions threatened local families.

Nahley also recognized former Executive Director Fred Rader for guiding the foundation through 2025, thanking him for his leadership during a period of staff transition.

On top of strong market performance, Nahley said the foundation added more than 20 new funds last year and received $5.6 million in contributions, including $1.2 million in flexible funding used to respond to urgent community needs.

“The most important role of the Community Foundation is to be a community in real time, responding to local needs as they arrive,” Nahley said.

The foundation plans to launch a strategic planning process in the coming months, inviting feedback from stakeholders to help guide future priorities.

Gwen Sour can be reached at gsour@newsandsentinel.com