MESSAGE FROM THE PRESIDENT

Dear Members,

Didn’t last week’s meeting make you feel good about what we do to help others enrich their programs in this special community? They all give time and love to do all they can on tiny budgets. When we can step up to help them it is so rewarding to us and appreciated by them. We are so privileged to be able to witness this gathering once a year, which I think is an amazing tribute to human compassion.

Diane Arrants, our Grants & Scholarship Chair is out of town, but she wanted to thank the Grants Committee for a job well done; and many thanks to all the volunteers that work so hard to make grant wishes come true.

Personally, I was so pleased with the feedback I received about my presentation of the possibility to establish a CAL Agency fund with the Idaho Community Foundation. I know that only half of our members are at any given meeting so for those who missed it, please feel free to call me and I will gladly give you an “oral report” (remember those from school) on what I presented at the CAL meeting. For those who were there and still have questions I’d be glad to field those via phone or email. If I don’t have the answer, I will get it. There was one thing that I did not cover well at the meeting. As a couple of our savvy members pointed out, the fees in this fund are very low. They are only .77%. Here is an example of why low fees matter:

Example: After 20 years a $1 million fund that grows at 8.5% per year and distributes 4.5% per year.

With 2% fee the fund will be worth $1,547,514.

With .77% fee the fund will be worth $1,959,585

Difference:  +$412,071

As a reminder, you can read more about the Foundation at this website:   http://www.idcomfdn.org

 

I am so looking forward to our spring luncheon. Remember to bring your checkbooks in case you buy anything. We don’t want our brand new treasurer, Lynn Shearer to have to run down people who buy something, so we request that you are prepared to pay at the luncheon. The social committee won’t reveal what they have planned, but they are all smiling.

Maybe this year the spring lunch will even feel like spring. Does anyone remember a May like this? I’ve only been here 13 years, but I haven’t seen one before. I swear that I am looking out the window and the clematis has grown 4 inches while I typed this. I have to keep reminding myself that this is North Idaho where the weather consistently supports Newton’s 3^rd Law of Physics, “For every action there is an equal and opposite reaction.” I’m going to remind myself of this May when it is payback time.

 

Now, get out there and fire up the BBQ, the mower, the weed whacker, and the sprinklers, and remember why we love summer so much. 

I truly love being part of this group, and was so glad to see so many of you at our meeting on Wednesday.

And don't forget that next month's meeting is Scholarship Awards! It is equally as wonderful as the Grant Award Meeting!

Yours, Sherry