Provides an annual grant for the Lynchburg City Schools Strings Program.
Established in July 2023, Ginger Paris LCS Strings Endowed Fund
at the Greater Lynchburg Community Foundation (GLCF)
has been created for the purpose of
supporting the strings program at Lynchburg City Schools (LCS).
This fund is held in perpetuity at the GLCF.
Gifts can be made to to the fund at any time by donors wishing to support the LCS Strings Program.
To make a gift, visit our Donate page.
"Five Decades of Music"
published by Lynchburg Living magazine, March 2024
Matching Gift Challenge Reached!
Davies & Davies supports local music education.
With multi-generational connections to the LCS Strings program,
Davies & Davies provided a $5,000 in gifts to the
Ginger Paris LCS Strings Fund
as a challenge match from current LCS Strings families!
FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS:
Why is the fund named after Ginger Paris?
The fund is named in honor of Ginger Paris, who in 2023 began her 50th year of instructing Lynchburg City Schools elementary students in the Suzuki violin method.
Mrs. Paris has, through her own tenacity and dedication, helped to build a remarkable program that has benefitted countless students and is a beloved local tradition. She is the current LCS Director of Strings.
When will this grant be disbursed?
The GLCF will make this grant annually, beginning in August 2024. The grant is paid to the LCS Education Foundation, a separate, non-profit organization that supports LCS.
What will the grant amount be each year?
The Ginger Paris LCS Strings Fund creates an annual grant to the Lynchburg City Schools (LCS) Education Foundation at a 5% payout of the value of the fund as of June 30 each year. The amount changes from year to year, depending on how the value of the fund grows through gifts and investment returns. It is expected to grow over time, in perpetuity.
Who will make up the committee to oversee the funds?
An oversight committee led by Ginger Paris (or her successor), and including of LCS Strings Teachers from elementary, middle and high schools, is responsible for allocating the grant proceeds to the greatest needs of the Strings program, with final oversight provided by the LCS Education Foundation.
Is this a grant that has to be applied for by Mrs. Paris and/or the Strings Department?
No. This is an endowed fund that is designated for the LCS Strings Program annually.
Will this benefit just elementary school strings or elementary/middle/high strings?
Per the oversight committee, this fund benefits all Strings programs from elementary through high school, with the greatest needs being determined by the oversight committee.
How will Mrs. Paris' successor be involved?
Upon notification of retirement, Mrs. Paris and the oversight committee will work to ensure a smooth transition.
How can the fund oversight be done well, but in a way that does not make it bureaucratic to access the funds?
The oversight committee collaborates to create a list of needs and requests, and then to determine the greatest need. Once these needs are determined, a request will be put in to the LCS Education Foundation for a fund disbursement.
Will LCS be able to use or absorb this funding for other needs?
No. The annual disbursement from this endowed fund will be paid to the Lynchburg City Schools Education Foundation and will be held there in a separate sub-account. Only funds approved by the oversight committee will be released. No funds will be managed or held by LCS Finance.
What happens to the Ginger Paris LCS Strings Fund if the Lynchburg City Schools Strings Programs is dissolved? Can it be used for other music programs?
It is not anticipated that the Strings program will ever go away. The program has been in existence for over 60 years and is considered a flagship program of Lynchburg City Schools.
The Ginger Paris LCS Strings Fund is held in perpetuity by the Greater Lynchburg Community Foundation. Should the LCS Strings program cease to exist, the GLCF will review the fund agreement and determine how LCS students can be served using the fund.
