When Randy Smith won the $44.3 million in cash by hitting the PowerBall Jackpot in 2010 one of the first things he did was to establish a $5.9 million donor advised fund at the Eastern West Virginia Community Foundation. During the past four years Mr. Smith has recommended more than $3 million in grants be awarded to over 30 local nonprofit organizations, schools, and government entities.
Since he is a strong advocate of the work being done by both Panhandle Home Health and Hospice of the Panhandle, Smith wanted to do something to help them serve the public in any kind of weather. Through his generosity, the Eastern West Virginia Community Foundation W. Randy Smith Family Fund purchased a 2015 Ford F-250 4X4 pickup truck for Hospice of the Panhandle and a 2015 Dodge Ram 2500 4X4 for Panhandle Home Health.
These organizations are now much better prepared for what is shaping up to be a rather brutal winter. Both of the brand new, heavy-duty, extended cab pickup trucks are built to handle serious weather conditions. With these vehicles, Hospice of the Panhandle and Panhandle Home Health will be levitra online able to get their staff members and patients where they need to go, regardless of the weather.
Smith doesn’t like to call attention to his generosity, and staff members of the community foundation often carry out his charitable wishes with little or no fanfare. But his generosity did not go unnoticed by Philanthropy West Virginia, a regional association of grant makers who, earlier this month, recognized W. Randy Smith with the Philanthropist of the Year Critical Impact Award for contributions to the Martinsburg-Berkeley County Parks & Recreation Board to cover the cost of constructing the new Rec Center in South Berkeley County.
The Eastern West Virginia Community Foundation has been serving Jefferson, Berkeley and Morgan counties for nearly 20 years, growing from an initial gift of $100,000 in 1995 to more than $17 million in assets today. Donors have created 188 endowed funds to support favorite charities, and provide a lasting legacy to improve the quality of life in the region. For information about the Community Foundation, visit their web site at www.EWVCF.org or call executive director Michael Whalton at 304-264-0353.