Strategic Planning for the Future of the Foundation

Posted on February 9, 2012 by admin

Ten years ago, the Trustees of the Blue Mountain Community Foundation took a risk. They were on the hunt for their first full-time employee. The result of their search netted a 30-year old, who had never lived in the Blue Mountain area, who had never run a community foundation.

Ten years later, I remain pleased with their decision. On St. Patrick’s Day, I turned 40 years old and still count myself lucky to be Executive Director of the Blue Mountain Community Foundation. Now the Trustees took another calculated risk. They adopted a new Strategic Plan, an ambitious road map to guide our work over the next three years.

A story that relates the primary focus of this Plan is a myth from the world of economics. Imagine a classroom at the University of Chicago, specifically an economics class taught by Milton Friedman. After a late night of studying, a student falls asleep in class. This sent

Friedman into a tizzy. He charged over and pounded on the student’s desk, demanding an answer to a question he had just posed. The student, shaken but now awake says, “I’m sorry Professor, I missed the question—but the answer is increase the money supply.”

A parallel between this story can be applied to our work. While Blue Mountain Community Foundation can be drawn into many, many activities, we are at our best when we help donors invest in our communities. As you read this and see the word “donor,” yes, we mean you.

In the coming months, we hope to present the most compelling reasons and methods—from online gifts to donor-advised funds—for you to give in support of the communities we love. Our success will be measured by how much and how well we make grants and award scholarships, like our support of Shiloh Akari (see story on the next page). We intend to improve our service to those who have already given. Students and nonprofits seeking funds will also have new tools. Our grant and scholarship applications will move

online. The Foundation’s website has been rebuilt, allowing us to publish more content, more frequently.

However, a few things will remain unchanged. Our commitment to high quality, financial oversight is unwavering. Leadership at the Foundation must also remain excellent. We continue to recruit and retain high-caliber volunteers and employees. Later in this newsletter, we introduce new faces and new roles.

I look forward with anticipation to the next ten years. My hope and expectation is the path we follow with our new Plan will take the Foundation to new heights.

Grants that Change Lives – Carnegie Picture Lab

Posted on February 9, 2012 by admin

by Mari Sanders

Did you know there is a program in the Walla Walla Valley that brings art presentations and projects to every elementary school child three times a year?

Did you know that this program serves over 3,000 children and is staffed with over 60 volunteers, who donate over 1,500 hours per year?

Did you know this program is called Carnegie Picture Lab?

Carnegie Picture Lab, formerly known as the Carnegie Art Center’s Picture Lady Program, is a non-profit volunteer-led organization founded in the early 1970’s, which provides art education to children in the Walla Walla Valley from Kindergarten through 5th grade.

The concept of bringing arts education to Walla Walla’s elementary school students is not new. The Picture Lady Program has been presenting art history lectures in second grade classrooms for over 30 years. In 2008, Augusta Farnum was approached by the Carnegie Art Center Board of Directors and asked to take over management of the Program.

Augusta, an artist herself and a parent of two young children, was an ideal choice to lead the cause. She quickly began discussing the idea of expanding the original vision with her friends. It didn’t take long for her to convince a few to join her in managing the Program, with an expanded vision of bringing art history presentations and art projects to all Walla Walla elementary school students three times a school year! The Program’s expansion has been a testament to Augusta’s vision, enthusiasm and her many connections in the community, both in the schools and the Walla Walla arts community.

My involvement with Picture Lab began with a conversation Augusta and I had in 2008. While my children had not yet been participants in the Program, I was aware that Carnegie had volunteers presenting art history lessons in second grade classrooms. I had been a student of a similar program way back in 1980 when I was in the fourth grade at Lincoln Elementary School in Whittier, California. I will never forget the day a volunteer visited my classroom with a large vibrant poster of Monet’s Water Lilies. I don’t know if the volunteer was a man or a woman, young or old, but I remember that poster, and how engaged I was with the art and artist. You can imagine how that memory quickly came back to me when visiting Paris a number of years later and having the opportunity to see the original Water Lilies! Because of those experiences, I was immediately onboard with Augusta’s vision for continuing and expanding the Program in schools. I couldn’t wait to be a classroom volunteer and to be the one holding the poster!

My first presentation was in a first grade classroom. The artist was Wassily Kandinsky, and the project was water color painting to music. I was so excited to see the children’s reactions. Never before had I seen kids encouraged to dance and paint at the same time. It was inspiring! I was hooked and I have been serving on the Board and presenting in
classrooms ever since. Over the last four years, Carnegie Picture Lab has continued to grow and refine the Program. A Board of nine members has embraced the mission of nourishing creativity by supporting and enhancing art education for elementary school
children in the Walla Walla Valley.

There have been many supporters of the Program, including individuals, businesses, and the public and private schools we serve. Picture Lab has also been the recipient of grants from local funders including, Blue Mountain Community Foundation, the Sherwood Trust and Carnegie Art Center Fund for the Arts to name a few. It is because of the vision of the volunteers and the support of our local community that we hope to bring Picture Lab to elementary school classrooms in the Walla Walla Valley for many years to come.

Scholarship Recipient Shiloh Akarai

Posted on February 9, 2012 by admin

Shiloh Akari, a 2007 graduate of Touchet High School and Walla Walla Community College’s Running Start Program, left high school with the intention of becoming a Pharmacist. She started her college career at the University of Montana, with the help of a scholarship from the Roberta Bell Kraemer Scholarship Fund a component fund of Blue Mountain Community Foundation. Her outstanding high school career helped her earn this competitive scholarship.

Shiloh’s first year of college was a challenge. “After I graduated, I went to one of the best pharmacy schools in the Northwest. I spent a year there and grew a lot as a person. Although I did have many difficulties being away from home, I don’t know if going away to a university so fast was the best idea.”

She decided to return to Walla Walla, to save money and learn more about her major. She re-enrolled in WWCC and started taking transferable pharmacy pre-requisites. She also took a children’s education course, which covered topics such as child development. One of her assignments was to observe a couple of elementary school classes.

“I loved it!” recalls Shiloh. As a result, she changed her major to Education. “I was always torn between becoming a pharmacist or an elementary teacher. In high school I taught spelling, Spanish, math and reading to elementary kids. I knew that I wanted to find a career that I was able to help someone out.”

Shiloh graduates from WSU Tri-Cities in May 2012 with a Bachelor’s Degree in Education with an English Language Learner’s Endorsement. She is also well on her way to completing her Master’s degree in Education. Currently, student teaching is underway at Blue Ridge Elementary School in a bi-lingual Kindergarten classroom.

She is completing college without incurring any debt, due in part due to scholarships received from BMCF. The Foundation learned Shiloh also has been helping others apply for scholarships. Besides telling applicants about the scholarship program, she helps edit essays and complete applications.

When talking about her decision to change her major from Pharmacy to Education, Shiloh says, that going from Pharmacy to Education was a huge step. “I realized that going to a job you love is better than going to a job you hate, regardless of the money.”

Shiloh was a two-time recipient of the Roberta Bell Kraemer Scholarship totaling $3,000. Hearing of her success is a pleasure. Great things are to come from this young woman!