Wood County Historical and Preservation Society
H & P Page 2
An Editorial by Your President
Quickly now, what are the names of your great grandparents? Do you know? How about your great-great grandparents? Without having looked in something such as the family bible, did you know?
I recently had the opportunity to attend a workshop offered by the Parkersburg Area Community Foundation. You will recall that last year we set up a fund through them that when fully funded, will provide a means with which to maintain historic cemeteries. This training was intended to help us better understand ways to “grow” that fund. The point of the question about remembering the names of our grandparents was to illustrate the fact that most people are at least semi-forgotten in just two generations.
The managers of these trust funds use facts such as this to give people an means of extending the memory of their life. Estate planning, even though it is a very wise idea and something that both young and the more aged should do, is often neglected until it is too late, leaving someone else to make important decisions.
The main theme of the workshop that I attended was “planned giving”. Many persons do not realize that organizations such a our historical society and our Cemetery Trust Fund at the Community Foundation can be listed as beneficiaries in wills. Other ways of giving to organizations and funds are through gifts of stock, life insurance policies and even real estate. Plus, many of these methods can offer immediate tax opportunities for the donor.
The subject of our mortality is too often put aside, it’s something that we would rather not talk or even think about. But the prudent will not only think about it, they will plan for it. Whether your estate planning includes the historical society, the cemetery fund, your church or whatever, we should all be considering it now, while we are still in control. If you don’t have an accountant or an attorney, the girls at the Parkersburg Area Community Foundation will be most happy to answer any questions you might have.
Not only can we hope that the Wood County Historical and Preservation Society, the Parkersburg Area Community Foundation, the Wood County Cemetery Maintenance Fund and the myriad of other worthy organizations will be here in the decades that follow, but we can also plan now to assure that they are here for the future generations. Are you interested in helping?
History and Preservation is printed quarterly by the Wood County Historical and Preservation Society. Items for consideration can be mailed to Bob Enoch, 85 Phoenix Street, Parkersburg, WV 26104 or call 485-8655.
2007 Officers and Board of Directors are:
President– Bob Enoch
First Vice President– Gerry Kohler
Second Vice president– Barbara Radiker
Secretary– Ed McHenry
Treasurer– Paul Hawkins
Directors– Paula Hoffman, MaryJo Blythe and David Kanalz.
The Society normally meets the last Monday of each month in the Summers Auditorium at the Parkersburg/Wood County Public Library on Emerson Avenue, at 7p.m. The society does not meet in December and the November meeting is the annual business/dinner meeting and is held at a site other than the library.
Visitors Are Always Welcome!
Care to join us?
The historical society always welcomes new members. Our only requirements are that members have a sincere interest in history and a desire to see that history preserved and shared. We hope that members can be active and attend meetings, but we realize that not everybody can do that; there are many who can support our preservation efforts only through their membership. Dues are only $10/year for an individual or family membership.
Name: ________________________________
Address: ______________________________
Telephone: ____________________________
I (we) have a special interest in: ____________
_________________________________________________ _________________________________________________ ___________________.
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