your COMMUNITY SUMMER 2025
A N E WS L E T T E R F R O M GA L E S B U R G CO M M U N I T Y F O U N DAT I O N
Establishing your Legacy Turning what you care about into lasting impact
L
egacy is one of those words that can feel a little weighty. It sounds like something reserved for people in history books or names etched on buildings. But the truth is, legacy is something we all carry and shape every single day.
I’ve come to realize that legacy isn’t just about what we leave behind. It is about how we live right now. It’s what we care about, how we give, who we support, and the opportunities we create for others. I often think about how I am part of someone else’s legacy, my parents, my great grandparents, and how the choices I make today ripple forward, especially for my own kids. That is legacy. At the Community Foundation, we don’t always use the word “legacy” in every conversation, but it is at the heart of everything we do. Whether someone wants to ensure a future for local students, fund a program at a nonprofit they love, or support a church they’ve attended their whole life, we help them make the best gift in ways that reflects who they are and what they value, both now and in the future.
In this issue, you’ll find stories that bring the idea of legacy to life in different, meaningful ways. You’ll hear from Dr. Subbia Jagannathan and Cynthia Stoerzbach about how their service on our board has shaped the way they think about giving and impact. You’ll read about Harold Watters, who honored his late wife Jeanne’s memory by creating a fund that reflects her values and passions. And you’ll learn more about how giving to an endowment fund can be a powerful way to carry your values forward—supporting the people, causes, and communities you care about most, not just today but for generations to come. As you read through this issue, I encourage you to reflect on your own legacy. The most important thing about legacy is that it’s yours. What do you care about deeply enough to carry forward? Who are you shaping the future for? And how can we help you make sure what matters to you continues to be supported, long after today? Joshua D. Gibb / President and CEO
Legacy takes many forms. For some, it’s about giving others opportunities they never had themselves. For others, it’s about honoring a place or a community that shaped who they are. And for many, it’s simply a desire to make sure something they care about continues. Every conversation we have starts with a simple question: What do you care about? From there, we help build something lasting—something rooted in your values and shaped by your story.
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