by Leslie Wineland Goss, Executive Director

White County Community Foundation
Affiliate of The Community Foundation of Greater Lafayette

White County women gathered to celebrate our community, honor one of its own, and be inspired by a fellow Hoosier woman who now organizes ‘voluntourism’ expeditions around the world.

White County Community Foundation Women Giving Together Fund members and friends honored retired Twin Lakes elementary teacher Helen Kraack, thanking her for 42 years of teaching and 15 years of reading to children three days a week as a volunteer at the elementary school.

“I’m so fortunate to have landed in this town. People are so good and kind and helpful. I always sought to validate every student; everyone deserves that. I believe we have a responsibility to take care of each other, to do what we can to make this world a better place. I’m not tired…I retired! I can’t quit. I can’t give in. I can’t give up. And I won’t!” Helen Kraack has touched many lives in our community, and the Foundation is honored to celebrate her!

Dr. Sally Brown inspired each of us “to find the time to give back.” Eventually rising to the position of CEO, she didn’t find true meaning to her work until she left the company to form her own organization centered in serving the less fortunate. For her, the keys to success are based in passion, perseverance, and balance – physical, mental, emotional, social, and spiritual. She challenged each attendee to commit time, talent and treasure to the community and the greater good.

The White County Community Foundation’s Women Giving Together Fund now boasts over 60 donor members – and membership is always open! Women Giving Together is a “circle” of women empowered to strengthen White County through charitable giving, for the purpose of addressing the hopes and dreams of White County’s women and families. One-half of each gift is placed in the endowed portion of the fund; the other half is placed in the grants fund and is used to fund grants the following year. Three grants recipients from 2007 were recognized at the WGT luncheon, and representatives highlighted services enabled through the WGT grants.

Any woman who cares about White County can become a member simply by contributing to the fund; women are asked to make an annual contribution, of an amount that is meaningful to them, so that the impact in our community may continue to expand. Checks should be made out to the White County Community Foundation, with WGT noted in the memo line.

Questions about the Women Giving Together Fund or other community development opportunities within the White County Community Foundation may be addressed to Leslie Goss, White County Community Foundation Director, at 574-583-6911, or log onto http://www.whitecf.org/.