2014-03-05
Stephen Tanner
A new endowment fund has been created through Your Community Foundation (YCF) to provide grants to benefit underprivileged children.
The Stephen D. Tanner Children’s Enrichment Fund was created by Rita Tanner in the name of her late husband, a beloved member of the Morgantown community who gave many years of faithful service to numerous organizations and causes.
The endowment fund will be invested to increase its value, with net earnings used annually to provide educational opportunities for children from low-income families and to help cover the cost of enrichment programs for children.
“We wanted to honor Stephen’s memory by helping children in Monongalia County gain opportunities they wouldn’t otherwise have,” Mrs. Tanner said. “Many students face obstacles; they fall behind. This fund can lend a hand, for instance, providing scholarships for tutors.”
A family will need to meet federal low-income guidelines for a student to be eligible for scholarshipfunding.
“Stephen Tanner was one of the most well-known and well-liked members of our community for many, many years,” said Beth Fuller, president of YCF. “We are grateful to his family for initiating this new endowment fund and proud to manage it for the benefit of children in Monongalia County.”
Tanner was one of the founders of the Greater Morgantown Community Trust (GMCT), which was merged into YCF, and both he and his wife served on its board of directors. The Tanner family also donated the building at 111 High Street which houses the YCF offices as well as other community organizations.The building – listed on the National Register of Historic Places – formerly housed Tanner and Tanner CPAs and was once the Morgantown Post Office.
Tanner was a vital member of the Morgantown community, serving on the City Charter Board, Historic Landmark Commission, Parking Authority, Salvation Army board and Morgantown High School Foundation board.
He also served as a member of the WVU College of Creative Arts Visitors Committee, West Virginia Holocaust Commission, Public Radio Board and Humanities Council. In 2008, he was named Morgantown Citizen of the Year and WVU’s Most Loyal West Virginian, and in 2012 he received the Earl L. Core Award, the highest honor conferred by the Morgantown Chamber of Commerce.
Any individual, business or organization can contribute to the Children’s Enrichment Fund in care of YCF, P.O. Box 409, Morgantown, WV 26507.