The Washington County Board of Realtors may have dissolved, but the group will forever have a positive impact in the community thanks to their extreme generosity. Funds once held by the organization have been distributed to historic Beck’s Mill and the Washington County Community Foundation.
Beck’s Mill
Historic Beck's Mill
Officers of the former Washington County Board of Realtors presented a check for $15,000 to the Friends of Beck's Mill. Pictured on the front row are (left) Debbie Curtis, vice president, and (right) Lori Gilstrap, president.
Officers of the former county board of Realtors donated $15,000 to Beck’s Mill to provide a new roof and extension of a deck to the building. These improvements will well serve the landmark for years to come.
Beck’s Mill is a historic gristmill located approximately seven miles southwest of Salem. It is the third such mill built on the site. The original mill was built by George Beck in 1808.
In 1990, the mill was placed on the National Register of Historic Places.
The Friends of Beck’s Mill began efforts to restore the current structure in 2006.
Washington County Board of Realtors Touch Tomorrow Fund
Debbie Curtis (left) and Lori Gilstrap (right) from the county Board of Realtors present a check for $60,000 to Lindsey Wade-Swift of the Washington County Community Foundation to establish a Tomorrow Fund to serve the community in the future.
On Friday, Nov. 15, the Realtors group donated $60,000 to the Washington County Community Foundation to establish the “Washington County Board of Realtors Touch Tomorrow Fund.”
Judy Johnson, executive director of the foundation, explained that the Touch Tomorrow funds are endowments that are permanent. These funds create a pool of charitable dollars that will indefinitely benefit non-profit [501(c)3] agencies that work to fulfill a vast variety of needs in the community.
The principal used to establish the fund is never accessed. Donations are made from the interest, income and earnings generated by the principal.
Touch Tomorrow endowment funds can be created by of individuals, families, businesses and non-profit organizations. Once the fund is established, the foundation handles investment management and distribution of proceeds from the fund. Each year the foundation’s board of directors selects which non-profit agencies will receive grants.
There are currently over 50 Touch Tomorrow funds managed by the foundation.
Johnson provided an example of just how much money can be generated by a Touch Tomorrow fund. In 1995, the estate of Ralph and Faye Mahuron donated a one-time gift of $420,000 to the foundation to establish a Touch Tomorrow fund. Every year, the Mahuron’s fund issues grants to 14 different organizations and causes for which they deeply cared.
Twenty-nine years later, their fund has granted over $644,058 to county projects, while growing in value to $839,085. This fund will continue to grow and provide grants year after year. That is the power of an endowment.
Congratulations to the members of the former Washington County Board of Realtors for their dedication to improving the local community!