Foundation gives love to those who give a lot

Awards will honor county's top philanthropists

Friday, Nov. 20, 2009

The Community Foundation of Charles County will hold its annual Philanthropy Day Luncheon today at the Jaycees center to honor people who give their time and money to help the community.

"The Association of Fundraising Professionals recognize Nov. 15 as National Philanthropy Day," Gretchen Heinze Hardman, executive director of the foundation, said.

"The Community Foundation of Charles County along with Community Foundations around the world have elected to host an annual award ceremony in mid-November to recognize the increasing role of the charitable sector and the important impact it has on our communities."

Spicer Bell, president of the Community Foundation of the Eastern Shore, will be the guest speaker at the event.

"We chose Spicer Bell and the Community Foundation of the Eastern Shore as the keynote speaker because we often use them as our model for success," Hardman said. "They have been in existence for 25 years and have continued to provide their communities with excellent service. The CFES have been a great mentor for me and even, so nicely, pointed out that when they were our age their first grants to the community were much less. … Spicer Bell will inspire our guests to support the Community Foundation of Charles County as it leads Charles County to be the best place to live and give."

In addition to the presentation of the corporation, nonprofit, philanthropist, volunteer and youth volunteer of the year awards, there will be an induction of two people into the foundation's Philanthropy Hall of Fame.

"Both have greatly impacted Charles County in a wonderful way," Hardman wrote in an e-mail. "Dr. [Francis P.] Chiaramonte was nominated by Conni Thompson of Southern Maryland Hospital for his ongoing support to Charles County for many, many years." Chiaramonte founded Southern Maryland Hospital Center.

The foundation also received letters of support for Chiaramonte from the College of Southern Maryland and Ducks Unlimited.

Alan Vahabzabe, vice president for support services at the hospital, has worked for Chiaramonte for 11 years.

"What is special about Dr. Chiaramonte is that he is a visionary," he said. "When he started Southern Maryland Hospital Center, there was no hospital on this side of the county. He had a very successful practice and he didn't have to do this. … He had the vision to the start the hospital. He didn't think that was enough so he started building clinics to help the community."

He is a very down-to-earth person who knows most of his employees by name and talks to them personally, Vahabzabe said.

In 2008, Chiaramonte donated $1 million to the College of Southern Maryland Foundation, making the largest private cash donation in the school's 50-year history.

Mollie Gieseman, a member of the foundation's board of directors, nominated the late Irene Davis.

Davis worked with of charities such as Civista Health Foundation, Zonta, County First Bank Board of Directors and Charles County Chamber of Commerce Board of Directors.

"Davis was a great mentor and she really helped me get involved with several nonprofits in Charles County, one of them being the Civista Health Foundation," Gieseman said.

"She was always very helpful. On top of that, she was extremely generous with her time and her finances. She always believed in the hospital and knew that we needed to have the best hospital that we could have in Charles County. She was always a great champion of giving back to the community."

Early this year, Davis performed her final act of giving. She bequeathed through her trust an estimated $2.2 million to the hospital foundation at her death.

Some of the other individuals and organizations to be recognized are the Southern Maryland chapter of the American Red Cross, Business Leaders Interested ‘N' Giving — BLING, Center for Children, Sonny Goldey, Carol Jackson, Candice Quinn Kelly, Living Water of Charles County, Outback Steakhouse, Southern Maryland Women's League and Spring Dell Center.

To the nominees, it is "because of people like you who understand the importance of giving, lives are being touched and needs are being met," Hardman said. "We look forward to continuing as your charitable partner in serving the community, now and for generations to come."

The community foundation was established in 2005 as a nonprofit organization to help individuals and businesses plan and carry out their charitable giving.

spoynor@somdnews.com