[jane032657]

VILLAGERS HELPING VILLAGERS! COME OUT AND SUPPORT THE
VHA COMMUNITY FOUNDATION WHICH IS RAISING FUNDS TO ASSIST VILLAGERS IN NEED OF ASSISTANCE.

WHERE: COLONY COTTAGE RECREATION CENTER
WHEN: TUESDAY,OCTOBER 29
TIME: SEATINGS ARE AT 4:30-5:30 and 6:30-7:30
COST: $8 and BRING YOUR OWN BEVERAGE
TICKETS: AVAILABLE THROUGH VILLAGES BOX OFFICE-BE SURE TO BUY
TICKETS FOR YOUR SEATING OF CHOICE-TICKETS ARE
LIMITED. BRING YOUR NEIGHBORS!!!! A FUN EVENING!

DINNER INCLUDES PRE TOSSED SALAD; SPAGHETTI WITH MEAT SAUCE OR MARINARA; BREAD STICKS WITH GARLIC BUTTER;COFFEE, TEA ORICE WATER

VILLAGERS HELPING VILLAGERS, COME OUT AND SUPPORT YOUR COMMUNITY FOUNDATION!!!!! TICKETS ARE ONLY ON SALE FOR ALIMITED TIME. HURRY TO THE BOX OFFICE AND GET YOURS TODAY!!!

[jane032657]

Still some tickets left!!!

[njbchbum]

what projects has the vha accomplished with this program - I have never heard of it. and how do villagers request assistance? is there a published financial statement of any kind that shows how much money is raised for and spent on the assistance?

[graciegirl]

Originally Posted by njbchbum

what projects has the vha accomplished with this program - I have never heard of it. and how do villagers request assistance? is there a published financial statement of any kind that shows how much money is raised for and spent on the assistance?

I was interested in your question and found nothing about the purpose of the foundation being for charity on the official site.

It kinda looks like a social group where the members go on a cruise together...It isn't very clear. Maybe better eyes than mine can find the purpose saying that it is for the assistance of Villagers..It looks like the purpose is to maintain the quality of The Villages. A good cause but not a charitable one.

Foundation Home

[Bogie Shooter]

From the Village Voice August 2013

THE VILLAGES CHARITABLE FOUNDATION, INC. - AN UPDATE


Paperwork filed with the Florida Department of State on December 22, 2000, The Villages Charitable Foundation (a.k.a. The Villages Homeowners Charitable Foundation, The VHA Charitable Foundation, and/or The Villages Community Charitable Foundation), was certified by the Florida Secretary of State on January 12, 2001, and is recognized as an IRS Section 501 (c) (3) Corporation, designated as a Public Charity in accordance with IRS 170 (b) (1) (A) (vi). Incorporated with 11 residents as the initial Trustees, and sponsored by the Villages Homeowners Association (authorized unanimously by Board action in May 2000), thus began what is now over 12 years of caring and concerned giving on behalf of Villages residents.



Over those years, the last ten under the able leadership of �retiring� Foundation Chair and VHA Board member Alice Terrill, the Foundation has raised money, organized manpower support, accepted donations, made contributions, and distributed both monies and material to worthwhile causes and events in our own hometown, in the surrounding locale, and in response to national disaster, all in the name of the collective residents of our uniquely giving community. {In excess of $466,000 if bragging a bit is in order.} This Foundation would not still be vibrant and viable save Alice�s outstanding effort and commitment. We thank her beyond her understanding and, if we may, convey the appreciation of those she has helped through the Foundation.



Among past �Villages� recipients of Foundation support are the Villages Hospital Auxiliary, our Villages Charter School, the Villages Hospital Foundation for the Hospital Chapel, Villages CERT, the Villages Health System Foundation, various VCCDD and Public Safety programs and our own Operation Shoe Box. In the local Tri-County Area, the list is nearly endless with cash contributions to various Children�s and Youth Advocacy and Service Organizations, various Sumter and Lake County Food Pantry�s, Sumter County Sheriff�s Youth Ranch and other Youth Programs, as a major contributor to the Sumter County / North Central Florida NOAA Weather Radio Network Transmitter, area Lions, Kiwanis, VFW and American Legion sponsored programs, SHINE, Toys for Tots, AIM, Boy Scouts, Make-A-Wish, and at least 15 college scholarships. At a broader Regional / National level, recipients include the American Red Cross and the Salvation Army Hurricane Relief Funds, the American Cancer Society, to the United Way, American Red Cross and Salvation Army specific for Hurricane Katrina victims, and tens of thousands of dollars from Villagers to our adopted �Katrina victim city� of Ocean Springs, Mississippi. {And I sincerely hope I didn�t miss too many.}



We all read daily of the amazing generosity of Villagers, be it locally, regionally, or nationally � our collective attention and response to those who are needy, homeless, hungry, less fortunate and/or unfortunate, and to the more physical assets which help make this community the truly unique community that it is. The Villages Charitable Foundation is proud to be among those organizations and individuals, offering our residents even one more avenue to give and to help. The Foundation has not been as visible as some over the past few years. We hope this is a turning point.



We want, first and foremost, to thank our founders of the VHA for their vision and foresight in creating the Foundation, and the VHA for their continued commitment, caring and concern, through the Foundation, for the residents and lifestyle of the Villages. We applaud VHA participation with and support for the Foundation, providing countless hours of peoplepower as needed, as well as daily �front office� effort, and computer and accounting expertise. In addition, the VHA provides this newspaper space available for Foundation news and information on an ongoing basis, and provides the Foundation with top banner access to Foundation information, news and views on the thevha.net website free of charge. We look forward to a continued long relationship of mutual cooperation and support.



With VHA help and support, the next public Foundation effort will be a community Spaghetti Dinner buffet catered by the Villages own La Hacienda Catering to be held on October 29 at the Colony Cottage Regional Recreation Center. You can set the date aside and look for more information in the coming months.



Lastly, future messages, will concentrate on projects and programs, most notably Helping Hands, the Foundation�s co-operative venture with the important and popular VHA program to provide medical equipment (such as canes and walkers and wheelchairs) through a �lending library� for Villagers in need. In addition, September will have more details about the Spaghetti Dinner, and maybe touch on some future plans, programs and projects.



More lastly, as we are a Charitable Foundation, we must do our obligatory begging. For those of you wishing to make a contribution to the Foundation for either a specific designated purpose or cause, or for general use at Foundation discretion, please feel free. Your tax deductible donation can EITHER be sent to the Villages Charitable Foundation, �care of� The VHA, 1104 Main Street, The Villages, FL, 32159, OR, to save the postage, you may deliver it to us via the VHA drop box found at every local Village Postal Station. Be sure to include your name and address so an appropriate acknowledgement can be sent.



Even more lastly, as the Foundation reorganizes itself for both the short term and long term future, we are and will be in need of hearts and minds and hands. If you have some time to give or, perhaps more importantly, if you have ideas for fundraising, sponsored events, co-operative ventures, or charitable directions you think we should pursue, again feel free. I�m never home but call if you must at 352-205-4647, but I am best contacted by (new) e-mail at VillagesCharitableFoundation@gmail.com This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it . Leave a name and number and a short message if you please.



And really lastly, THANK YOU for taking the time to read this. I sincerely appreciate the opportunity.



Ron McMahon, President and COB

Villages Charitable Foundation





We have things to do, places to go, people to see, and a whole bunch of community good to perform.

[jane032657]

I was just going to post the above so thank you for doing so.

I have just joined the Community Foundation as a Board of Director and been to two meetings so I am not a historian for the Foundation.

However, speaking for today, we have recently met and are bringing the Foundation back to life out of its dormancy. You can see it has done good things before. Now we are focused on recreating that positive energy and playing it forward.

To this effort, we are focusing on a theme of "Villagers Helping Villagers". But as in all things, to have success with this mission, we need to generate revenue for this purpose. We are all volunteers and the spaghetti dinner, while not a large fund raiser, is a great awareness raiser-look at our conversation now, already we are talking about it! Fantastic.

So give us time to move forward, enjoy this community dinner if you can make it, watch us develop a strategy, raise some funds, and then begin to be able to reach out to our neighbors in The Villages and find a process as to how to prioritize needs and accept requests for future funding.

Thank you for your questions and we look forward to having a vibrant Community Foundation to assist Villagers Helping Villagers as we raise our presence, our income, and then our charity giving!

[Bogie Shooter]

Originally Posted by njbchbum

what projects has the vha accomplished with this program - I have never heard of it. and how do villagers request assistance? is there a published financial statement of any kind that shows how much money is raised for and spent on the assistance?

Get all your questions answered?

[karostay]

I see it's bring your own whine

[njbchbum]

Originally Posted by Bogie Shooter

Get all your questions answered?

to a degree, thank you.