That’s the mindset guiding Lisa and Chris Gavin and their new donor-advised fund at the Galesburg Community Foundation. With a keen understanding of the important role they can play in supporting the community they’ve lived in and loved for decades, the Gavins were inspired to start the Gavin Family Foundation Fund after realizing how many opportunities living in a rural community affords.

“There are a lot of advantages to living in rural America, especially in western Illinois,” said Chris. “The school systems are great, truly knowing your neighbor is a blessing, and so is the sense of community and cooperation you have here.”

Chris, a veteran community banker from Warren County, got involved in community service early in his career. Over the years, he’s served on numerous boards and charities that opened his eyes to the potential of giving—for everyone. “People think that you have to have a large gift to start a fund, but that’s just not true. Anyone can start with a smaller amount and add to it, and the Community Foundation provides a turnkey solution to set that up. At heart, it’s an organization with such a high degree of integrity and a great mission, which makes it easy for anyone to get behind,” said Chris.

As a member of the Community Foundation’s board of directors, Lisa is no stranger to the power of philanthropy. Among the Gavins’ many goals, Lisa hopes the Gavin Family Foundation Fund will help the community recognize the power of cooperation.

“It’s been great to see the Community Foundation bring together so many organizations throughout Knox and Warren Counties with their initiatives. Thanks to them, there’s now more cooperation between our communities than ever before,” Lisa said. “I’m a huge believer in the power of a regional approach, in leveraging our resources together, and in the work the Community Foundation has done to unite us all,” she added.

Though the Gavins are just beginning their donor-advised fund journey, they’re looking forward to seeing how it evolves, as well as being a catalyst within the region for a refreshed perspective on philanthropy and, hopefully, new levels of cooperation.

“This past year, we’ve all learned the true meaning of helping others, and ourselves,” said Lisa. “We started this fund with that in mind, and we know that by working together across town and county lines, we can all be successful.”

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For Chris and Lindsay Bayer, donor advised fund holders at Galesburg Community Foundation, serving their community in any and every way possible is a way of life, yet they too feel renewed in their mission to pitch in however they can.

Chris recalls that being generous and sharing good is a family affair for both he and Lindsay, which was instilled at a young age. He said, “Whether it’s time or resources, or it’s the ability to be involved and give advice or ideas, our families have always been generous. We’ve seen that model for us and we’ve realized there’s still a lot of needs that are unmet in the community, and if we don’t recognize those, they’ll go unnoticed.”

Lindsay shared that giving back is an opportunity to become an active part of the community’s growth and development. “Professionally, I am a remote employee, so I’ve always had to be very intentional about getting plugged into the community. The Community Foundation is a really good resource for me in that way.”

Wanting to make a difference and be active community members, the Bayer’s established a donor advised fund at Galesburg Community Foundation. Chris shared that setting up the fund was important because it makes the process of giving back much simpler.

Chris said, “Having a donor advised fund at the Community Foundation really cuts down on the administrative side for us and we let the Community Foundation be the experts on how to distribute the funds. Our donor advised fund allows us to contribute to one source, the foundation, and then that money is held by that source. We are then able to select nonprofits we want to grant money toward as we are ready to do so.”

While the Bayer’s are engaged in supporting the community year-round, the Galesburg Community Foundation’s annual Turnout Grant Cycle is a dedicated time for donor advisors to think and discuss the impact of their fund. The Turnout provides an opportunity for area nonprofit organizations to submit proposals for their needs— which this year included programming, operations or capacity requests. The Community Foundation compiles the nonprofit grant proposals to share with their donor advised fund holders, such as the Bayer’s.

This year, the Bayer’s wasted no time in allocating their yearly contributions and participated in The Turnout as donor advisers. Along with some nonprofits they were already familiar with, the Bayer’s were excited to find a number of new nonprofit organizations they did not know about. By going through each nonprofit proposal and learning more about the nonprofits in our area, Lindsay affirms that, “It was a great opportunity to have conversations about giving, community engagement, and philanthropy. It opened a lot of doors for meaningful conversation.”

Through this one act of generosity with The Turnout, the Bayer’s want to encourage others thinking of getting involved. From Lindsay’s perspective, one secret to sustaining dedicated local philanthropy is “not getting intimidated by the logistics, which can seem overwhelming…the whole staff at Galesburg Community Foundation make the process approachable, and they love to talk about it and how each person can really get involved.”

Chris agrees that simplicity is best when considering acts of charity. “Make it simple, start small, and understand what’s available. Take the time to hear what’s going on,” he said.

Not seeking notoriety or accolades for their work, the Bayer’s stressed that doing good and giving back for your community is a fulfilling activity that benefits everyone.

“We like to do stuff low-key,” Chris added, “and just to know that we did it. You give because it gives you joy and don’t expect anything back.”

Lindsay concluded, “I would love to see more and more community members realize they can serve, give, and find ways to do what they can, when they can. Then I believe more people will really see the marked improvements in the community through the years—we’ve certainly seen that through the 10 years we’ve been here. I’m just hopeful that more will get involved and find that passion.”

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Rev. Sibley grew up in Galesburg, graduated from Carl Sandburg College and served in the United States Air Force. He had a 20-year career in law enforcement and received the Galesburg Area Chamber of Commerce’s Thomas B. Herring Community Service Award. He was also named a Paul Harris Fellow by the Rotary Foundation of Rotary International. Some of his fondest memories and long-lasting relationships were established during his 15-year tenure at OMC-Gale Products as a laborer, journeyman tool and die maker, and supervisor.

His reach in the community was deep and wide. He served as pastor of Full Gospel Church, was a member of the Galesburg chapter of the NAACP and a former member of the Galesburg Police and Fire Commission. But that wasn’t all. Most recently he served on the Carl Sandburg College Board of Trustees and was very active in the Streaks Dad Program that mentors youth at Galesburg High School.

Serving, says Vicki, was a part of his being. “He didn’t grow up privileged and that had an impact on him personally, and the way he lived his life,” she says. “He always wanted to help people who were down and out.”

And that is exactly what Rev. Sibley did. He provided comfort to those who were hurting, an ear for those who needed to be heard, and a voice for those who hoped for something better. He wanted to help make his community healthier and stronger on every level. After his passing, Vicki was overwhelmed by the touching memories people shared, and their desire to honor him. That included the naming of the new underpass welcoming people into the downtown area.

She set up a fund at the Community Foundation to support the causes and community development projects that were close to Rev. Sibley’s heart. It is a fund that will support others. “People were very generous, and the money was in a bank account,” Vicki says. “We wanted to add legitimacy to it so people would know that the money was well taken care of.”

That’s why Vicki turned to Galesburg Community Foundation for support. “The Community Foundation has been so wonderful in helping me honor my husband’s legacy. And while the fund will support a variety of different opportunities in the region, “what we most certainly intend to do is help people in need,” Vicki says. “Jon would be pleased.”

Rev. Sibley’s legacy not only lives on through the fund, but also in Vicki’s enthusiasm for the community today. “We were a team. We were coworkers in ministry together,” she says, the words spiraling into sweet memories of their more than four decades together. The couple raised three children, a niece and three nephews during their nearly 43 years of marriage. One of her favorite memories was working with him in the church’s garden, which he aptly named “Garden of Eat’n.”

“He would grow food and give it away,” she says, just one example of the creative ways he was able to reach—and feed—people literally and spiritually. The other way was simply listening. “He could relate to anyone, from someone struggling with substance abuse to one of the leaders of our community,” she says. “People still stop me and tell me stories. It’s encouraging to me and feels so wonderful.”

His acts of service weren’t intended to be recognized, she says, and yet he would be honored to know about the Community Foundation fund and the many ways his life is being acknowledged. “It would blow his mind,” she says. “He was a hard-working, compassionate man and it was a privilege to be his wife.”

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The couple has six children and seven grandchildren and have found multiple ways to give back to the community they’ve proudly called home. “We do want to encourage them to donate here, and if they can, to do that wherever they are,” says Barb, who also gives her time weekly to Community Treasures, the thrift store on Main Street in Galesburg that is operated by the Community Foundation.

John, a retired oncologist, serves on the Community Foundation board of directors. He moved to the area after working in both Minneapolis and Chicago and was attracted to the quiet, rural atmosphere where neighbors take care of each other, and families raise their children in a safe environment. “I fell in love with Galesburg and the area,” John says. “It wasn’t crowded and I could be home in 10 minutes after work. It’s a friendly community.”

Which is exactly the way Barb grew up. “I’ve never been a big city girl,” she says. “I’ve lived here my whole life and its home to me. I can’t imagine living anywhere else.”

Some of their children have moved away, but they say the Community Foundation is a great tie back to home. Giving back both financially and through their time, John says, is something they hope they’ve instilled in their family. “It’s a teaching thing,” he says. “It’s a legacy I hope we’ve established. We hope the kids will continue to do the same.”

The couple opened a donor-advised fund at the Community Foundation by gifting stock. It’s an example of the many ways the Community Foundation allows people to give, John says. “We’ve done well here and the kids have done well and benefitted from living here. The Community Foundation is an ideal way to give back to the community to address needs now—and needs that will inevitably come up in the future,” he says.

The couple’s fund has supported renovations at both The Orpheum Theatre and Discovery Depot Children’s Museum. Supporting the restoration of the region’s historic buildings and youth-centered initiatives are particularly near and dear to John and Barb’s hearts. Barb adds that they hope someday to direct funding toward mental health services in the area, but however their fund helps the community is an honor. “I’m glad the resources we’ve been blessed with will stay in the community now, and forever,” she says.

And that’s what the Community Foundation can do for people and communities all across the region: ensure that the greatest opportunities and needs are met through giving. Barb sees that lived out every week at the thrift store. “The shirt someone donated, and then is purchased, is a gift—a gift that keeps
on giving.”

That’s also a reminder that you don’t have to have a lot to give a lot. “People don’t realize that philanthropy isn’t about the size of your gift—it’s the act of giving. Time is important, the shirt you may not need is important, and the larger gifts of stock or otherwise are important,” John says, and the Community Foundation has a unique opportunity to remind people of that.

One of the greatest joys of our work is partnering with people like Dr. John and Barb to help them give back to their community. Let’s talk about how we can help you spread your generosity in the community you love. If you have a dream for your hometown, we’re here to help you do that easily through your giving. Contact us at JGibb@YourGCF.org today, or give us a call at 309.344.8898.

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