The Sonora Area Foundation board of directors has elected Sonora resident Joan Bergsund as president, succeeding James Gianelli who held the term for two years. Marilyn Knudson was elected vice president, Celeste Boyd is treasurer and Clark Segerstrom is secretary. New terms began May 1.
“I am so pleased to be serving as the next president of the Sonora Area Foundation,” Bergsund said. “Our goal will be to continue the responsible and inspired work of those who have served before us.”
Bergsund, a Sonora resident since 1993, joined the Sonora Area Foundation board in 1997. A graduate of Carleton College in Northfield, Minnesota, she has a solid background in personnel work and volunteer community service. She and her late husband, Dick, were long-time Bay Area residents and co-founded a personnel company there before retiring to Sonora.
Bergsund has served on numerous boards of foundations and historical societies. She also helped promote grass roots politics by serving a four year term on the Tiburon town council, which included one year as mayor.
As a director of the Sonora Area Foundation, she has served as secretary and treasurer while working on the grants and development committees. She helped the Sierra Non Profit Support Center spin off from the Sonora Area Foundation and establish itself as an independent non-profit agency providing support services to non-profits in the foothill region of California. She also serves on the board of directors for Sierra Repertory Theatre.
Bergsund said the Sonora Area Foundation has a clear direction.“We are a board of seven people totally committed to serving the Tuolumne County community by carrying out the original mission of the foundation,” she said, “and that is to improve the lives of the residents of this county. Wherever there is need, we want to hear about it.
“We work closely with our exceptional staff, and our primary duties are to encourage donors to set up funds with us, to grant monies to non-profit organizations engaged in providing services to county residents and to occasionally facilitate the study of a timely issue.
“We look for opportunities to spread the word, to tell people about the Foundation and involve them in philanthropy right here at home.
Your charitable donation is an investment in Tuolumne´s future. We use the phrase ‘For Good…For Ever.´ That says it all.”
The Sonora Area Foundation, established in 1990, is a Community Foundation that channels donor´s charitable contributions to worthy projects in Tuolumne County. The Foundation´s mission is to strengthen its community by promoting philanthropy through assisting donors, making grants and providing leadership.
The Foundation now has assets of more than $7.5 million. Its governing board regularly awards grants that fulfill the Foundation´s goals. Those grants now exceed $6 million since the Foundation´s inception. The Foundation also administers over 130 charitable funds set up for scholarships and other charitable causes.
The Sonora Area Foundation is certified as having achieved the national Standards of Excellence for Community Foundations by the Council on Foundations and is a member of the League of California Community Foundations.
For more information on grant applications or the establishment of a donor fund, contact the Foundation at 209-533-2596 or the website www.sonora-area.org
This post was last modified on 01/31/2009 4:30 pm