FUNDRAISING AWARDS: Youth, Volunteer, Executive Among Honorees

Kudos to Olivia Connors, Mary Damuth, Andrew Bethune, Ranny Riecker

November 25, 2013
By: Dave Rogers

The Association of Fundraising Professionals - Mid-Michigan Chapter, has presented awards for outstanding contributions to philanthropy to four individuals and two corporations.

Honorees were:

Olivia Connors, youth;

Mary "Culli" Damuth, volunteer;

Andrew Bethune, fundraising executive;

Margaret "Ranny" Riecker, outstanding philanthropist;

Chemical Bank, corporation; and

Dow Corning, foundation.

Miss Connors, 17, is a senior at Bay City Central High who contributed more than 350 hours of community volunteer time, including tutoring and reading to elementary students, United Way student board member and Back to School Shopping Event, and middle school play student director. She is a competitive cheerleader, National Honor Society member, student council member and is involved in SADD and Project Unify.

Ms. Damuth, of Saginaw, is a board member of the YMCA of Saginaw, Delta College Foundation, One Hundred Club of Saginaw County and Covenant Healthcare Foundation. She has been honored by numerous organizations including Girl Scouts of Mitten Bay, Zonta International and the Saginaw Community Foundation.

Mr. Bethune, executive director of the SVSU Foundation, has been a member of the SVSU team since 2004 and executive director since 2008; since that time the university has received over $20 million in gifts and membership in the alumni association has reached 35,000. He is president of the Mid-Michigan Chapter of the Association of Fundraising Professionals, is a Certified Fundraising Executive and plays competitive golf.

Mrs. Riecker is president of the Herbert A. and Grace A. Dow Foundation and chair of the Harry A. and Margaret D. Towsley Foundation. She has been a champion for early childhood and post-secondary education, civic and community projects, healthcare, arts and environmental organizations.

Chemical Bank has actively invested in many non-profit organizations in the region, including United Way, Habitat for Humanity, local colleges and universities, and community foundations; in addition to its financial support, bank employees have dedicated countless hours as leaders and members of community organizations.

Dow Corning Foundation has served the area since 1982 and currently grants more than $1 million annually to organizations such as Habitat for Humanity, Junior Achievement and the United Way. The Dow Corning Donor Advised Funds, administered by community foundations, $300,000 is distributed through local grants selected by Dow Corning employees.

Presenters were Emily Schafer, Michigan Baseball Foundation, to Miss Connors; Renee Johnston, Saginaw Community Foundation, to Ms. Damuth; Sharon Mortensen, Midland Area Community Foundation, to Mr. Bethune; Dr. Jean Goodnow, Delta College Foundation, to Mrs. Riecker; Eileen Curtis, Bay Area Community Foundation, to Chemical Bank; and, Joseph Vogl, SVSU Foundation, to Dow Corning Foundation.

Main speaker at the awards ceremony was Dorothy A. Johnson, former president of the Council of Michigan Foundations and retired from the W.K. Kellogg Foundation after serving 32 years as chair. Both President Clinton and President Bush appointed Ms. Johnson to the board of the Corporation for National Community Service, which she served as chair.

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