Contact:
Kathryn Yarzebinski, President & CEO
(434) 845-6500
(Lynchburg, VA – December 9, 2024) - The Greater Lynchburg Community Foundation is the beneficiary of a generous gift from the estate of Lucy Woodall Harris, a Lynchburg resident who passed away in 2023.
Through the Lucy Woodall Harris Irrevocable Trust, Mrs. Harris’s estate has given $1,125,000 to the Greater Lynchburg Community Foundation in support of the Lucy Woodall Harris Fund, which Mrs. Harris established and supported prior to her death.
The Lucy Woodall Harris Fund at the GLCF was established in 2012 to support education, libraries, museums, and the preservation of history in Lynchburg and the counties of Amherst, Appomattox, Bedford and Campbell.
Mrs. Harris was a graduate of E.C. Glass High School and attended Central Virginia Community College and Baptist Bible College.
Mrs. Harris' career was long and varied. She worked as a substitute teacher, owned a local stenographic service, was a partner with her husband in an investment and rental property business, and taught parliamentary procedure classes and leadership development.
Mrs. Harris was a dedicated volunteer for The Virginia Federation of Woman’s Clubs, the Patrick Henry Boys & Girls Plantation, the Friends of Lynchburg Public Library, the Lynchburg Museum System, Point of Honor, The GFWC Lynchburg Suburban Woman’s Club, and Rivermont Evangelical Presbyterian Church.
“Lucy was a fascinating person,” said GLCF President & CEO Kathryn Yarzebinski. “She was full of curiosity, loved to learn and teach, and took a lot of pride in our local history. She believed in getting involved, and making things happen. She took action to make our community better and to help others. It’s a true honor to carry on her legacy in perpetuity.”
The Lucy Woodall Harris Fund provides funding for grants to local libraries, museums, and other organizations working on historical preservation projects. Since 2012, the fund has awarded over $7,500 to help support restoration of the “Water Bearer” statue in downtown Lynchburg, preserving and honoring African American graves at Radcliff Cemetery, repairs to the Anne Spencer House, and archaeology work at the Sandusky Smokehouse.
Gifts to the Lucy Woodall Harris Fund from the Lucy Woodall Harris Irrevocable Trust will dramatically increase the amount available for grants to these kinds of local projects in future years.
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The Greater Lynchburg Community Foundation’s vision is to make lasting and impactful change possible by funding the work of nonprofit organizations that are focused on improving the lives of those in Lynchburg and the counties of Amherst, Appomattox, Bedford and Campbell counties.