Celebrating generosity in the Quad Cities region
By Sherry Ristau / President & CEO
Today, I invite you to join our celebration of generosity in the Quad Cities region. In a year that has been unlike any other in history, we are taking time before 2020’s completion to lift up your generosity—in all its forms.
In fact, we’ve put together a little book to highlight just some of the many, many ways people like you have ensured that generosity continues to be on full display.
One of the special things about our work at the Quad Cities Community Foundation is the opportunity to act on the generosity Quad Citizens entrust with us. I’d like to share how one couple did that.
John Willard was a leader by every definition of the word—working as a Quad-City Times reporter for nearly four decades and utilizing his gift of storytelling to keep our community informed on all fronts. Sadly, John passed away in 2017 and his wife Carol passed away earlier this year. Joyously, though, their generosity lives on with a $3 million estate gift, we announced Sunday in the Quad-City Times, that they left in the hands of the Community Foundation.
Carol and John’s love for this region was evident—they were deeply connected to their colleges and churches, the causes they cared about, and the people who foster a community of love and kindness. That connection is only deepened now as their estate gift allows them to continue to assist community assets like VanderVeer Park, the Davenport Public Library and community funds like the Quad Cities Community Impact Fund. It’s a beautiful reminder that through the Community Foundation, you can give to both the community, and to the specific nonprofits and the corners of the world you care most about.
The Willards also led in purpose—reaching out to the people who could help them realize their philanthropic dreams by working hand-in-hand with their professional advisor, Melissa Hancock, and our team here at the Community Foundation. We hope others follow their example and find value in these kinds of partnerships that foster generosity.
Carol and John didn’t just think or talk about being kind. They fell in love with the community, recognized they wanted to give, and connected with us to help make it happen. We invite others to do the same—in the ways people like you choose to live out generosity. Yes, anyone can be a philanthropist.
John’s written word moved us while he was alive, and today he and Carol’s legacy of philanthropy moves us even more. John told great stories about the people in this community, and now it’s our honor to help he and Carol write the rest of theirs.