The assets of the Foundation are made up of many funds that have been established by organizations, companies and in a great number of cases by individuals and families. One such fund, The Gordon Family Fund, highlights one family’s commitment of caring for the community that goes back long before the Foundation was first formed.
Marie and Donald Gordon have seen a lot of changes in the Valley over the years. Donald’s family first arrived on the Island in the 1850s to mine coal and eventually settled in Cumberland. Marie’s family, the Urquharts are a well know pioneer family in the Valley whose original farmlands are now famous for the arrival of the Valley’s most celebrated guests … the Trumpeter swans.
Both of the Gordons have been actively involved in the community, received their schooling here and worked their way up from “slinging” hamburgers to owning a chain of children’s shops and developing land on Donald’s side to delivering milk and working in the supply department at the airport on Marie’s.
Donald has been involved in a number of organizations including Courtenay Rotary and the famous King Salmon Club. Marie, also involved with a number of groups, was also one of the founding members of the Community Foundation.
The Gordons believe that giving back to the community is essential. By establishing a fund through the Foundation they are able to ensure that their donations keep on giving for generations to come.
“Everyone has their own way of honoring those who have passed away,” said Donald. “Every time someone passes away within our circle of friends and acquaintances, we add to our fund in their name. The Foundation then sends off an In Memoriam card which is much appreciated by the members of the deceased’s family.”
For the Gordons, the fact that the Foundation provides a secure source of charitable revenue for the future and that it is focused on enhancing the quality of life in the Valley by financially assisting many different charitable organizations, these are the key reasons why they use the Foundation for their philanthropic needs.
“To us it just makes sense,” said Donald. “I don’t see why more people, especially companies, don’t take advantage of the opportunity. Even for the fact that you can actually save money on paying taxes.”
Donald does not take this lightly. He has been actively involved in helping to establish a number of funds administered by the Foundation including the King Salmon Fund, Courtenay Rotary Fund and the Beecher Development Ltd. Fund.
To find out more about the Foundation, how it works, who it has helped over the years and how you can help enhance the quality of life in the Comox Valley, visit the Foundation’s website. www.cvcfoundation.org
