Aug 4

Written by: ngreditor
8/4/2010 4:43 PM 

Speaker at Foundation banquet shows how to “do good”

Kenneth Purscell

J. Paul and Eleanor McIntosh with gifts of Bluejays hat and brick from the old High School.

“My wife and I left in 1955, and still we have a lifelong home in Newman Grove.”

With these words, J. Paul McIntosh offered his encouragement to members of the Community Foundation, gathered at the Community Center for the annual Steak Fry on July 30.

“I compliment you at your efforts to keep the community going,” he said. “It’s always the people that make a community and you’ve got the people.”

McIntosh reflected on his life, including the struggles during the depression and World War II. “After the war my motivation was to make up for my classmates and buddies who had not survived and who did not have the privilege of life.

“I came through unscathed,” he said, “but I did not forget that could have been me.”

He offered that some of John Wesley’s observations in the 1700’s still apply: “Earn all you can, save all you can, give all you can, and do good everywhere you can,” he summarized.

As a farmer and businessman, he had acquired a great deal. In the 1970’s he and his wife Eleanor began to contemplate how they might do good.

Part of their strategy was to organize a foundation. “We gave some farmland to this foundation. 60% of the price came as a credit to the IRS. The foundation received the full value of the land when they sold it. We structured it so the foundation would pay us $18 thousand a year while we live.

“And then twenty different charities have received gifts from that foundation,” he continued. “We can even change those charities while we’re still alive.

“We don’t have to worry about it, because the deed is done,” McIntosh said. “What we’ve received is peace of mind.”

He encouraged the Community Foundation members to work out their own planned giving arrangements. “There are two kinds of people: givers and takers. The difference is not academic. The future of society depends on their being more givers.”

Tim Rossow, treasurer of the Foundation, reported that there are now assets of over $67 thousand, and that these have grown over the past year.

Jim Hegemann and John Lorenzen draw names for door prizes.

John Lorenzen and Adrian Lopez were awarded the Nontraditional Scholarships.

Paul Cederlind, Jeff Gerhart, and Ed Quincy were elected to the advisory committee.

Gene Wissenburg reminded all members that the Community Foundation becomes more effective as it has more funds, and thus more income to distribute.

Door prizes were given.

Copyright ©2010 Newman Grove Reporter