A passion for women and girls
We all know friendly competition thrives in our community, as anyone who has attended a tailgate or sporting event here will tell you. And that competitive spirit was actually the catalyst for one of the Community Foundation of North Central Florida’s best-known and successful efforts—the Women’s Giving Circle. It may seem hard to believe today, […]
A Passion for Mental Health—Sam Goforth
It all started with a 60 Minutes episode. As well-known local banker Sam Goforth tells it, his aunt, a daughter of the philanthropic Harn family, saw a piece on the mental health crisis facing children in our country. Now mind you, this was almost 15 years ago, long before mental health moved into the forefront […]
A Passion for Music—Cathy Dawson & Don Hessenflow
For some, the arts provide a pleasant background to everyday life. For others, the arts are life. Such is the case for Cathy Dawson, a clarinetist of 60 years. When she and her husband, Don Hessenflow, were scouting for a community to retire to, they knew that having a local orchestra was non-negotiable. Relocating in […]
A Passion for Art in the Schools—Cheryl Poe
Having devoted her career to elementary school music, it’s no surprise that Cheryl Poe jumped into action when a budget crisis threatened our local art and music programs. This was back in the summer of 2008, when Alachua County Public Schools’ solution to state cutbacks was to reduce art and music classes to half a […]
