BOARD OF DIRECTORS ROGER M. GUNDLACH Chair PAULA RENGEL Vice Chair MARY JANE HILL Secretary CARL E. MCGOOKEY Treasurer LEE A. ALEXAKOS JULIE BARNES FOSTER ABBEY BEMIS EILEEN BULAN FAITH A. DENSLOW MARCIA L. GOFF TRINIDY N. JETER HENRY W. KISHMAN DONALD G. KOCH DARLENE LOWERY ERIC M. MUEHLHAUSER RON PARTHEMORE SPARKY R. WEILNAU RYAN WHALEY ERIC L. WOBSER THOMAS M. WOLF Investment Advisor STAFF ELIZABETH P. MAIDEN Executive Director JUDITH A. PFLIEGER Youth Council Advisor RANDALL J. WAGNER Finance Director/Assistant Programs Director PAMELA D. PROVO Administrative Assistant CONTENTS 2 | THE JEWETT FAMILY FOUNDATION FUND AND THE JEWETT ARCHITECTURAL SCHOLARSHIP FUND 4 | SANDUSKY LIBRARY AND FOLLETT HOUSE MUSEUM FOUNDATION FUND 6 | ALAN R. SCHLESSMAN FUND 8 | SAM AND ROSE STEIN FUND AND GOFF FAMILY FUND 10 | BETTCHER FUND 1 1 | MAURUSHAT ENGINEERING SCHOLARSHIP FUND 12 | STATEMENT OF FINANCIAL POSITION 13 | OUR DONORS I am pleased to introduce our 2016 Annual Report, which features just a few of the dreamers who make our work possible. The vitality of the Erie County Community Foundation is not surprising when you consider the people who made it happen: an entire community ready to pay forward their good fortune for the benefit of the county and its citizens. They and their families have accomplished extraordinary things and it is a natural progression for them to support others who dare to dream of accomplishing extraordinary things in their lives, too. A common bond is the desire to make a difference. Our donors are people who had extraordinary dreams, the passion and the initiative to make them real. The Foundation finished 2016 with invested assets of $21 million, having awarded grants and scholarships totaling $1.2 million. Just over 21 years ago those numbers were zero and nothing. That was when several visionaries began work on the dream of a Community Foundation; a means to help make the dreams of others possible, today and forever. They dared to think about our future. This small band of dreamers set the stage for an ever-expanding list of individuals who have each stepped-up with contributions to our growing array of diverse funds. In fact, we welcomed six new Funds to our family in 2016. Erie County is rich with people who have big ideas and are relentless in their drive to accomplish great things. Homegrown groups like Cedar Fair, Bettcher Industries, the Sandusky Library and Follett House Museum, and Stein Hospice benefited from their hard work; these organizations have had a profound impact on our community and are vital to our economy. I hope that you enjoy reading these brief profiles of a handful of individuals who have contributed to the success of our local non-profit organizations, and to the growth of this Foundation. We are forever grateful to them and to all of our donors. Sincerely, Elizabeth P. Maiden, Executive Director PEOPLE WITH BIG IDEAS FUEL THE DREAMS OF MANY. |1