The Commons Foundation’s (TCF) mission is to fund, build and sustain the new library and center for our communities. The Capital Campaign is focused on funding and building the new library. The Annual Fund supports annual program and operating needs and the Endowment Fund and Legacy Society are focused on sustaining the library.
As the first three months of 2020 ends we can look back to the accomplishing these milestones:
New Board Members
In February we welcomed Terry Berkemeier, Tamara Hull and Chris Hartzell as new members of our Board of Directors.
Champions Formed
The Champions is a small team of local community and business leaders who are working together to run the Leadership Gifts Campaign, which is the first phase of our $5M capital campaign. The Champions include: Terry Berkemeier, Lori Lerner, Laurie Dubin, Kristi Ellenzweig, Jonathan Ellenzweig, Jeanne Friedel, Kathy Green, Chris Hartzell and Joe Jennings.
Capital Campaign
TCF has raised cash and pledges of $998,463 and has cash on hand of $206,272.
Our donors and pledges include:
Leadership Donors ($50,000+): Lori Lerner & Terry Berkemeier, Kristi & Jonathan Ellenzweig, Kathy & Christopher Hartzell, Marisa & Joe Jennings, City of Larkspur and Christina (Tina) McArthur.
Major Gift Donors ($5,000-$49,999): Friends of the Larkspur Library, Paul B. Feasby Charitable Fund, Gabriel Gesmer, Jeanette Giacomini, Kathy & Brendhan Green, Jeanne Friedel, Laurie P. & Scott Dubin, Bill Howard, Larkspur Library Foundation, Rosine Reynolds & Steve Stein and the Salesforce Foundation.
The complete list of donors is on our website.
Legacy Society
The Legacy Society has planned giving pledges equaling $1,200,000 for The Commons Foundation. Members include: Joanne Bethlahmy, Honorary Co-Chairperson, Joe Jennings, Co-Chairperson, Marisa Jennings, Christina (Tina) McArthur, Elda Marie Phillips and Anonymous.
Annual Fund/Friends of the Library
The Annual Fund’s purpose is to sustain and grow current library programs and operations. In 2019-20 TCF partnered with the Friends of the Larkspur Library to develop and run a Season of Giving Campaign that generated $13,000 for the Annual Fund.
Note from TCF President:
It is ironic that a global pandemic and economic recession gives you the time and space to consider why we are we doing things in our lives.
The things we don’t know are significant: when the shelter in place will end; the depth and duration of the economic recession; the impact of both on the City of Larkspur government and local communities; and the availability of future federal and state funds for new social infrastructure projects.
What we do know is also significant: we have a growing community of citizens working together to raise the funds to build the new library; the shelter in place has heightened the awareness of the importance of public institutions and gathering places for our communities; and with patience, pragmatism, and effort we will succeed at funding, building and sustaining a new library and public square for all of our communities.
Please stay safe, in touch, and open to how we can move forward in these difficult times.