FLHS graduate makes donation to education foundation

Wednesday, 9 February 2011
Jennifer Larson - Community Editor
Reprinted with permission from the Forest Lake Times

Timing is everything, as is the case of a recent donation from a former student to the Education Foundation of the Forest Lake Area.

Last summer, TEFFLA was established as a corporation after receiving its non-profit IRS tax-exempt 501(c)(3) designation.

Although it took nearly two years to obtain that federal status, Executive Director Laurel Walker said the education foundation has accepted about $4,000 in contributions.

"We're just in the infancy," said Donley Johnson, the first chair of TEFFLA and a retired administrator for the school district.

A six-member board will oversee the endowment fund that will enhance opportunities benefitting youth, teachers, programs and communities. TEFFLA will support charitable and educational purposes. There is also a goal of facilitating ideas that promote innovation and academic excellence.

A Gift - Funds are in memory of Scott Gauvin

For Jeff Gauvin, class of 1977, the untimely passing last summer of his younger brother, Scott, became a chance to give back to the community that 2 of the 6 brothers grew up in.

"It's important for us, in a time of reflection, to think of roots and home," Jeff said. "And hopefully to be catalytic to others to think about providing support to the education foundation."

Jeff now lives in Arizona with his wife, Judy, but Scott resided in Forest Lake for 50 years. As a team member with Wells Fargo, Jeff's $5,000 donation to TEFFLA was matched dollar for dollar by his employer of 25 years through a program offered by the banking institution.

Scott had been diagnosed with a form of Colitis when he was 10-years-old. Jeff said his brother, who worked at some of the local establishments including the bowling alley, struggled with the illness for 40 years.

"It's not a comfortable thing to live with," Jeff said. He said Scott was a pretty quiet, reserved guy so he didn't make it known how painful it was for him daily.

Even though Scott didn't go on to post-secondary schooling, Jeff said that his brother felt education was important. In fact, Scott was recognized for having not missed a day of high school upon graduating in 1978. His two daughters, Jessie and Kelly, also received their diplomas from Forest Lake.

Jeff recalls when the whole family gathered about one month before Scott's death. He never expected to get a call that Scott was hospitalized and wouldn't likely make it, Jeff said.

"I look back at the fondly as a time when we all got together to take a photo with mom," he said. Their 69-year-old mother, Jeanne, still lives in the community today.

Donation Worth Giving

Conscious of their own mortality, Jeff said he and Judy have talked about the wishes of their own estate.

"I didn't expect to lose Scott," Jeff said. "So this donation just seemed very consistent with the things we had been thinking and planning for."

Jeff said that giving back to the community has generally been localized to where the couple has resided. Mostly in Wisconsin, he said, where the Gauvin's called home for 22 years.

"It's not just writing checks in our case," Jeff said. "We also look for opportunities for our time. If it's worth spending your time serving on a board, put your money up too. It's also worthy of your money if it's worthy of your time."

He said that given the economic state of the country, they're aware it's a tough time to solicit donations. Walker and Johnson agreed.

"This is not the easiest time to start," Johnson said, "so your gift is even more meaningful than it would have been in other years."

He noted that TEFFLA is very new at giving the funds away. They would disperse the money in some sort of application process, Johnson noted.

"We would envision not only grants to students," he said, "but to adults in the community that wish to have an experience they needed help affording."

Members of the public looking to help can also learn more by going to the non-profit's web page at www.teffla.org.