b'CARL & ANN MCGOOKEY, LONG-TIME FRIENDS OF THE ECCFHONORING THEIRHOMETOWN CONNECTIONCarl and Ann McGookey are proud of their roots. They grew up five blocks from each other in Sandusky and both attended Sandusky High School, becoming high school sweethearts during their senior year. When they purchased a Queen Anne century home in 1983 in the heart of their hometown, they knew the area would eventually blossom, exactly as it has over the last several years. Their love of community has been strong and steady, and they are extremely excited about being part of Sanduskys recent revival.Carl first came to know the Community Foundation through his career as a CPAandfinancial advisor for Payne Nickles & Company. I enjoyed helping my clients make decisions about their charitable giving and often referred them to the Foundation as the local expert on how to support the areas of greatest need, he says. When asked to serve on the audit committee in 2008, he didnt hesitate, and his commitment to their mission has grown ever since. As the immediate past board chair, he has served in varying roles over the years, including treasurer and member of the grants committee. Ann has been active in the nonprofit sector too, serving on the Firelands Symphony board for many years. She got more involved with the Foundation during the 2017 renovation of their office space. As an interior decorator, she offered her services to help create a space that represented the whole of Erie County. I wanted their new offices to serve as an illustration of the entire geography that they serve, using both the marshlands and the lake as inspiration, she says. Thats what a community foundation is all aboutserving a broad range of people and causes. To help meet their own charitable goals,the McGookeysestablished the Carl and Ann McGookey Family Fund at the Erie County Community Foundation in 2018.Their areas of interest focus primarily on schools and the arts, reminiscent of how they initially met. Ann was in the high school orchestra while Carl participated in the choir. Their son and daughter-in-law met while pursuing music degrees, making their interest in the arts a real family affair. While Carl and Ann remain committed to supporting schools and musical associations through the challenges of recent years, they appreciate how the Foundation has responded to the pandemic by addressing the immediate needs of local nonprofits, especially those providing basic needs. I was impressed with how Beth and her team convened resources so quickly to help assist organizations directly affected by COVID-19, Carl says. The Foundation is becoming more and more of a leader in and around Erie County, and we are proud to be a part of that.'