For Sarah Walters, community has always been at the center of her story. 

A lifelong resident of Monmouth, Sarah’s connection to the region runs deep. While she spent a few years away early in her adult life, she ultimately chose to return—drawn back by family, familiarity, and a deep appreciation for the place she calls home. 

 “I choose to live here,” she shared. “I love my community. I love Monmouth.” 

That love for her community is what first connected Sarah to Galesburg Community Foundation. While she had long been aware of the Community Foundation, it wasn’t until her involvement through the Twomey Foundation that she began to understand the broader impact of the Community Foundation’s work. 

Most recently, Galesburg Community Foundation, and the Twomey Foundation worked together to make  grants to nonprofits in Henderson County.  

Through that partnership, Sarah saw firsthand how working together could create something greater than working alone. “It made more sense for us to be partners!” she said. 

When asked to join the Galesburg Community Foundation Board of Directors, Sarah didn’t hesitate. Having seen the Community Foundation’s impact up close, she was eager to play a role in helping others.  

Sarah brings a unique perspective to the Community Foundation Board which is shaped by her professional journey. After spending 17 years as a teacher, she took a leap into business ownership when she purchased Market Alley Wines in Monmouth and learned about the ins and outs of running a local business from the ground up. 

As she steps into her role on the Community Foundation Board, Sarah is driven by a desire to help share the Community Foundation’s mission more broadly—particularly beyond Galesburg. She recognizes that while the name reflects the Community Foundation’s origins, its reach and impact extend far beyond. 

“One of my biggest goals is to help people understand what Galesburg Community Foundation really is and all the ways we serve Knox, Warren and Henderson Counties,” she said. 

Galesburg Community Foundation President & CEO Joshua Gibb shared his excitement about Sarah joining the board. “Sarah brings a genuine passion for her community, and a strong belief in the power of philanthropy and  collaboration,” he said. “That mindset is exactly what helps move our mission forward and strengthen the communities we serve.” 

At the heart of it all is Sarah’s belief in people and in the power of community. Whether through her work, her business, or her service on the board, she is committed to helping her community and our region grow and thrive. 

And for Sarah, that commitment is simple. 

“I just want to be a good steward of spreading the mission,” she said. 

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Growing up in a small farming community an hour east of Galesburg, Dr. Brian Plattner remembers trips to Galesburg feeling like something special. 

“We’d come here to swim at the Holiday Inn and go play putt-putt,” he said. “To me, Galesburg was a vacation spot…”  

That perspective has stayed with him over the years.  

“People don’t always realize how good we have it here,” he said. 

After completing his optometric training at The Ohio State University, Dr. Plattner and his family made the decision to return to the region to build both a career and their life. Twenty-five years later, Galesburg is where they have raised their family and put down deep roots. 

Dr. Plattner is an optometrist and business partner at Kehoe Eye Care in Galesburg and has long been active in the community through service organizations and his church. That commitment to service eventually led him to Galesburg Community Foundation, where he joined the Board of Directors in 2020. 

Now, as he steps into the role of Board Chair, Plattner points to the strength of the team around him as a key reason for confidence moving forward. “The Community Foundation has an amazing staff and board… a lot of great people all rowing in the same direction,” he said.  

Other members of the Community Foundation Board of Directors include Dustin Courson, David Erickson, Lisa Gavin, Chad Long, Dr. John McClean, Carol Shaw, Amy Thompson, Jamie Yemm, Dr. Adam Welty, and Sarah Walters. 

When asked what he was most looking forward to in his role as Chair this upcoming year, Plattner shared his excitement for an upcoming leadership program we will be holding. 

“I am excited for a new program we will be bringing to the community that offers us an opportunity to gather leaders in the community to identify needs together and figure out how we can work together collaboratively in order to make our resources go further.” 

For anyone considering getting involved with the Community Foundation, Plattner’s advice is simple: start somewhere, whether that is by giving, volunteering, serving, or simply learning more about the needs and opportunities within our region. 

“Being a part of supporting all the good work the nonprofits in the region are doing is extremely fulfilling,” he said.  

As the Community Foundation continues to grow, it is that mindset of generosity, service, and community leadership that will shape what comes next for our region. 

The post An Opportunity to Lead appeared first on Galesburg Community Foundation.

But he really saw how GCF can impact a community when his hometown of Williamsfield wanted to build a playground at the local park.

When a small group of volunteers coordinating the project got the initial estimate for the cost of the project, Courson wasn’t sure if they could raise enough funds to complete the playground in the community of 550 residents. “We didn’t know if we’d be able to do it—at least all at once,” said Courson. By partnering with the Foundation, they received the advice and support to run a professional fundraising campaign that helped them raise $150,000 for the playground—more than Courson imagined possible.

The success of the playground project gave the community the confidence to look to the future of Williamsfield in an even bigger way by establishing of the Williamsfield Community Fund at the Galesburg Community Foundation. As an endowed fund, it will support critical community needs far into the future.

The community reached its $25,000 goal, which was matched by the Foundation. Courson is now looking to continue growing the fund. “We now have a few thousand dollars available for grantmaking but imagine decades down the road having potentially hundreds of thousands of dollars annually. For a community of our size, that will have a huge impact.”

A way to grow the fund will be through estate gifts or planned gifts, which are contributions of assets like real estate, securities, life insurance, or cash that are arranged in the present and allocated at a future date. They not only offer tax benefits but benefit the community forever.

As a member of the board, Courson plans to use his financial expertise and experience as a volunteer to show others the benefits of partnering with the Foundation. “There are a lot of charitable people out there who give randomly, but if they were to use the Community Foundation, it would be more impactful,” said Courson. “To pool their funds with somebody who is giving to the same cause will have a larger impact for that particular segment of the nonprofit community.” Courson will fulfill the term of George Peterson, who served on the board from March of 2019 until his death in February. He joins fellow board members Dr. John McClean, David Erickson, Dr. Subbia Jagannathan, Lisa Gavin, Chad Long, Dr. Brian Plattner, Carol Shaw, Cynthia Stoerzbach, Dr. Adam Welty, and Jamie Yemm.

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Galesburg Community Foundation welcomes two community leaders who understand the importance of philanthropy to the region: Carol Shaw and Dr. Adam Welty.

Both offer great perspective on how philanthropy can continue paving the path toward a bright future for the entire region.

Shaw, who grew up in Roseville and runs an insurance business in Monmouth, has a long history of serving her community through philanthropy. As a board member and recent president of Warren County United Way, Shaw was quick to see the great opportunity in working with the Community Foundation. “A light just went on in my mind when I thought about the chance to work with the Community Foundation. I could see that this could really allow me to better the community I’ve loved for so long,” she explained.

Shaw is also a member of the Roseville Community Fund advisory board, a fund of the Community Foundation. Driven by a belief in the importance of philanthropy that’s accessible to everyone, she has worked hard throughout her career to ensure that any gift, large or small, benefits the community.

“Historically, people have thought that philanthropy was only for the wealthy, but that’s just not the case. Whatever anyone can do to enhance the community is beneficial for everyone,” Shaw said.

Welty, a dentist in Galesburg, first got involved with the Community Foundation while in dental school—he was a scholarship recipient. After completing his degree, he moved back to Galesburg to begin practicing. That’s when he started giving back, which ultimately led him to join the Community Foundation’s board. “I care deeply about this community, and I want folks to know that the community cares so much about those who live here too,” said Welty.

Welty takes pride in his firm commitment to giving back to the community after benefiting so much from it himself as a scholarship recipient. Now, as one of the Community Foundation’s newest board members, he can. “It’s so important to inspire and lead by example. That’s what was shown to me when I was growing up, and that’s now what I want to show others. Our region should be a place that people are proud to come back to, and call home,” Welty said.

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Dr. Brian Plattner, Chad Long, and Jamie Yemm are new to the Community Foundation’s board of directors.

“We welcome the talent, the expertise, and the strong community partnerships that these three individuals bring to our work to positively change communities in Knox and Warren Counties,” said Josh Gibb, president and CEO. “Their willingness to serve and commitment to our mission is energizing at a time when our philanthropic work is more important than ever before.”

Dr. Plattner, an optometrist and partner at Kehoe Eye Care, lives in Knoxville and is a member of the Sunrise Rotary. He is also the weekend director of Northwoods Church Galesburg.

Long is a partner at the law firm of Statham & Long, as well as past board president of both Discovery Depot Children’s Museum and the Knox County YMCA. He grew up in Galesburg and also currently serves on the Carl Sandburg College Foundation Board of Directors.

Yemm is involved with her family’s business Yemm Automotive Group. She is an active Master Gardner and is the project co-leader for the landscaping at the Carl Sandburg Historic Site. She also is a board member of the Carl Sandburg College Foundation Board.

Yemm said she grew up in a family that focused on the importance of giving back. “We were encouraged to support the things that mattered most to us—whether that was giving our time, talents, expertise, or financially,” she said. “We have tried to instill that same belief in our children as well.”

Plattner, Long and Yemm join fellow board members:
Dr. John McClean, Chairman
David Erickson, Vice Chairman
Dr. Subbia Jagannathan, Secretary
Lisa Gavin, Treasurer
Mark Kleine
Carl Nixon
George Peterson
Cynthia Stoerzbach

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