The Dobson Fund Supports Education

The Dobson Fund Supports Education

The Doug and Charlotte Dobson Memorial Fund, a donor advised fund at the Elk County Community Foundation, recently made a grant award to Francis S. Grandinetti Elementary school. The award funds experiential learning experiences using eight different special learning opportunities through Mrs. Marcia Raubenstrauch’s classroom. These programs have provided students with the ability to make connections between formal learning and real life…. Opportunities beyond the traditional classroom allow students to become excited, adventurous, and to be able to think differently. Annually the family of Doug and Charlotte Dobson has the opportunity to direct dollars to projects that enhance the community in which they lived. The Dobson Fund is one of over 140 funds held at The Elk County Community Foundation.

Recently one of the programs funded by the grant took place. Gifted students from fourth through eighth grade were provided an incredible experience where they were able to work closely with Gene Boni and Roland Boni, the local artists who own and run MudSlide Pottery. The students were engaged in learning about the history of pottery, the chemistry of glazing, and understanding both the artistic side of design and the business of running a pottery shop. Students worked with the artists at school and then went to the studio to learn how to produce pottery. Throughout this project the emphasis was on critical thinking and solving problems in the real world.

The mission of the Elk County Community Foundation is to strengthen our region through development, stewardship and grant making as donors achieve their philanthropic goals. Its vision is to connect people who care with causes that matter. The Foundation assists donors who have an interest in starting a fund to benefit nearly any charitable organization or cause that they have a vested interest in, whether as a named fund or in the memory of a deceased family member or friend. As mentioned, the Doug and Charlotte Dobson Memorial Fund is just one of many funds; each with a different story and each for a different purpose. Interested parties are encouraged to contact the Foundation for more information either by calling 814-834-2125 or visiting its website at www.elkcountyfoundation.com