Honoring Sonoma County Philanthropists

Association of Fundraising Professionals

To Honor Local Philanthropists

Community Foundation Sonoma County will be presented with the 2010 Spirit of Philanthropy Award at the 2010 National Philanthropy Day® Awards luncheon, sponsored by the Association of Fundraising Professionals (AFP) Wine Country Chapter. The awards ceremony will take place on Tuesday, November 2, 2010, at Wells Fargo Center for the Arts in honor of National Philanthropy Day® (NPD).

More than 300 people are expected to attend the luncheon, which recognizes individuals and organizations for their contributions to countless charities and causes in the North Bay. This year marks the 25th anniversary of National Philanthropy Day, and more than 100 AFP chapters and nearly 50,000 people will participate in events across North America.

“National Philanthropy Day® is the one day that our community comes together to recognize and pay tribute to the contributions that people make through philanthropy –  that spirit of giving is what makes the Wine Country such a great place to live,” noted Vicki Yarnal, President of the Wine Country Chapter. “With the federal government downsizing, charities have to rely more and more on individual contributions and community organizations for support. Our honorees have demonstrated this spirit of giving through their commitment to support philanthropy in the North Bay.”

The Spirit of Philanthropy Award is presented by the Wine Country Chapter of the Association of Fundraising Professionals to an individual or organization that demonstrates exemplary leadership in philanthropy in the Wine Country through personal giving and the fostering/mentoring/ encouragement of others to give for the benefit of all. The Community Foundation Sonoma County exemplifies the “spirit of philanthropy” by proactively convening and collaborating with other organizations and funders to create community solutions that benefit from diverse perspectives and healthy discourse. Since its inception in 1983, the Community Foundation Sonoma County and its donors have awarded $116 million in grants. Over the years, they have has demonstrated their commitment to improving the quality of life for residents of Sonoma County.

“We thank the Association of Fundraising Professionals for celebrating the creativity, commitment and generosity of philanthropy in our community,” said Barbara Hughes, President and CEO of Community Foundation Sonoma County. “It is indeed an honor to receive the Spirit of Philanthropy Award for the work that we do to preserve, build and celebrate community assets.”

Additional awards to be presented include:

Outstanding Youth in Philanthropy, will be presented to 14-year-old Ivan Chang (nominated by Dicksie Park Tamanaha of Sonoma County Family YMCA & Rotary Club of Santa Rosa Sunrise). Ivan was chosen for his consistent and compassionate approach to helping those less fortunate. He has demonstrated the type of youth leadership that will grow into a lifetime commitment to public service. His many achievements at such a young age include securing $15,000 in funds for the Colgan Creek Fitness Station project, putting in more than 400 volunteer hours at the Beye Farm Summer Lunch Program, and serving on the City of Santa Rosa’s Community Advisory Board to assist in identifying programs that meet community needs in Southwest Santa Rosa where he and his family reside. Ivan is the winner of the Santa Rosa Sunrise Rotary college scholarship, is a an afterschool tutor and education and recreation program coordinator at Kid’s Street, a peer education tutor at Elsie Allen High School, and a youth organizer for the American Cancer Society’s Relay for Life. The presenting sponsor for this award is Wells Fargo.

Outstanding Civic Organization Partner, will be presented to Soroptimist International of Santa Rosa (nominated by Lucy Barnett, Sutter VNA & Hospice, Kendra McKenna, The Living Room, and Kristi Padley, YWCA. Soroptimist International of Santa Rosa has shown itself to be a great example of what civic clubs provide to our community. The selection committee was impressed by the longevity of the organization (founded in Santa Rosa in 1945) and by the many activities its members have personally supported over the year.

Outstanding Business Partner, will be presented to Wells Fargo Insurance Services (nominated by Lucy Barnett, Sutter VNA & Hospice). Wells Fargo Insurance Services was selected for encouraging their employees to get involved in community service and allowing them to take time out of their work day to do public service work. They also stood out because of the length of time that they have quietly been committed to serving the community.

Outstanding Individual or Family Philanthropist, will be presented posthumously to Bob Burke (nominated by Katrina Thurman on behalf of the Board of Directors of West County Community Services). Bob was selected for his outstanding breadth of work in the Kids Program. Prior to his death in June of this year, Bob dedicated the past 40 years of his life to running a charitable resource for children with life-threatening or debilitating diseases. Bob Burke’s Kids Program was run solely by a team of volunteers, including Bob himself, who made sure that there were special events for kids and their families throughout the year. The presenting sponsor for this award is the Community Foundation Sonoma County.

Complete details about the National Philanthropy Day® luncheon can be found on the Association of Fundraising Professionals Wine Country Chapter’s website at www.afp-wcc.org. The event begins at 11:00 a.m. on Tuesday, November 2, 2010. Registration deadline is October 27th. National Philanthropy Day is sponsored by Community Foundation Sonoma County, Wells Fargo, Exchange Bank, Direct Mail Systems, and Wells Fargo Center for the Arts.


The Association of Fundraising Professionals (AFP) represents more than 30,000 fundraisers in 200 chapters throughout the world, working to advance philanthropy through advocacy, research, education, and certification programs. The Wine Country Chapter   serves Sonoma, Napa, Mendocino and Marin counties by providing educational programs, networking, career opportunities and extensive online resources for fundraising professionals at all levels.