The Marie Lamfrom Charitable Foundation has announced seven nonprofit honorees to receive the foundation’s annual “birthday” award — this year, the focus is celebrating “grit” in the community. The awards, which total $126,000 in funding, honor the foundation’s namesake and Sally Bany’s grandmother, Marie Lamfrom. Lamfrom served as a nurse in World War I, escaped Nazi Germany with her family to live in Portland, Oregon, and quickly became a champion for young people, especially the Girl Scouts. She served as a troop leader at Shriners Hospital for Children and later, at Providence Hospital. Each of this year’s honorees, chosen from among more than 175 nominees, was chosen for both their grit and their service to a nonprofit organization in Oregon or Washington. The honorees’ nonprofits will receive an award of up to $26,000 in the honoree’s name.
The Foundation was granted additional funds after the passing of Marie’s daughter and Sally’s mother, Columbia Sportswear Chairman Gert Boyle in 2019. With an additional thousand percent in giving capacity, the Foundation continues to support nonprofit organizations focusing on education and mentorship, arts and creativity and health and wellness, with the majority of funds benefiting programs based in Oregon and Washington.
“My husband Dave and I started this foundation 24 years ago to honor the life of my grandmother, Marie Lamfrom,” said Marie Lamfrom Charitable Foundation Chairman Sally Bany. “Having served as a nurse on the Russian front during World War I, and then working tirelessly throughout her life to serve others, especially hospitalized children, she was the true definition of ‘grit.’ We are thrilled to honor her life of service with these funding awards on what would have been her 126th birthday.”
These are the seven honorees chosen for having demonstrated grit in their work, with $126,000 distributed between their respective nonprofit organizations:
- Brent Blackwell, Cascade AIDS Project (Portland, Oregon)
- Sheila Foster, Rogue Valley Farm to School (Ashland, Oregon)
- Elizabeth Hazlewood, Pathfinder Clubhouse (Corvallis, Oregon)
- Jose Hernandez, Friends of the Children Klamath Basin (Klamath Falls, Oregon)
- Marcus LeGrand, The Father’s Group (Bend)
- Perla Ruiz, Family Access Network (Bend)
- Alison Woods, Girl Scouts of Western Washington (Seattle area, Washington)
The Marie Lamfrom birthday celebration occurs annually between the spring and fall, with the Marie Lamfrom Charitable Foundation Board of Trustees directing the celebration’s annual focus. Last year, the foundation celebrated the exceptional efforts of organizations working to promote, advance and encourage women’s participation and leadership in science, technology, engineering, and/or mathematics (STEM).
More details about this year’s honorees can be found here.
About the Marie Lamfrom Charitable Foundation:
The Marie Lamfrom Charitable Foundation was established by Dave and Sally Bany in 1998 to support nonprofit organizations throughout Oregon and Washington. The Foundation now focuses on nonprofit programs that support education and mentorship, arts and creativity and health and wellness. The Foundation was named for Sally’s grandmother, Marie Lamfrom.
