A strong community is made up, in part, of individuals who dedicate a portion of their time to civic life. Williamsburg has meant a great deal to me for over fifty years, in part because of its good citizens. I recall Mayor Robert Walker taking steps to maintain our neighborhood’s integrity. Gil Bartlett asked that I join him in the Kiwanis Club to help improve “the world, one child and one community at a time.” Former William & Mary President Tom Graves appointed me chair of William & Mary’s United Way Fund Drive, a responsibility that led to my service on the United Way Board. The United Way Board at that time helped create Avalon, an agency that has improved the lives of women in the Williamsburg area.
This combination of civic dedication and generosity have inspired me to do the same to help enhance our remarkable city in perpetuity through establishing endowments at the Williamsburg Community Foundation.