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closeFor decades, foundation provides more than just a few dollars for community efforts
The Puyallup Kiwanis Foundation supports many community projects and
Chris Albert
Before Judy Bumbaugh’s husband, Bill, died last year, the two had been discussing how they could help students reach their educational dreams.
An investment they had was maturing when they discovered the Puyallup Kiwanis Foundation. Though it has been called a variety of names with several missions, what is now the Puyallup Kiwanis Foundation has spent more than 80 years providing scholarships to local students and supporting community projects.
The Puyallup Kiwanis Foundation not only helps people establish scholarships, they annually give more than $50,000 to community efforts.
At the foundations annual meeting, last week, the Rails to Trails program to place benches on the Riverwalk Trail by the skate park in Puyallup was awarded $2,000, the Bread of Life and the Bonney Lake Food Bank were given $5,000 in pursuit of purchasing a refrigerated truck and the Prison Pet Partnership Program at the Women’s Correctional Facility was given $5,000. Some other gifts have included $15,000 in scholarships and $6,000 for the Good Samaritan Foundation.
Director of the Bread of Life and Bonney Lake Food Banks Stu Bowen said the money is very much appreciated, but even more so the dedication of the foundation to help local organizations is even more valuable.
For Bumbaugh, the foundations’ experience in establishing college scholarships was very helpful and also a perfect fit to honor her late husband. From an earlier investment and inheritance from her husband, she established a scholarship in his name through the foundation.
“It was a natural thing to do,” Bumbaugh said. “It’s just a joy for me.
“To me it is an honor to be able to have this in his name.”
Not only to have something in her late husband’s name that he would have loved, but she also appreciates having the opportunity to recognize the amazing work local students do. The first recipient of the scholarship spent countless hours volunteering in the community, which is something Bumbaugh and her husband greatly support.
The Bill Bumbaugh Scholarship is just one of many Puyallup Kiwanis Foundation programs. Not only do they help establish scholarships, but they also manage more than $1 million in funds. Through different investments the foundation uses the interest earned to benefit local causes.
“We only use the interest of that money for different community projects,” said Stand Cross, Puyallup Kiwanis Foundation president. “(And) we want to get the most bang for our buck.”
That dedication began in the 1920s when 12 Kiwanis Club of Puyallup members donated $1,000 each to purchase a piece of property in downtown Puyallup.
The lot was rented to merchants for parking and the proceeds went to scholarships for local students. It was sold in 1985 and the proceeds were used to create the Kiwanis Club of Puyallup Foundation.
In 1947, business members from Lewis County formed a Boy’s Ranch. By 1970, it moved to Pierce County and named The Kiwanis Boy’s Home. Years later the homes were sold and put into balanced portfolio and the Group’s name changed to Kiwanis Youth Support Services.
In 1989, the two groups merged to create the Puyallup Kiwanis Foundation with more than $550,000 in assets.
Since, those assets have more than doubled.
Bumbaugh is pleased the foundation was around to help her establish a scholarship that will keep benefitting students for years to come.
“I think it is just something that I think is so particularly rewarding,” she said. “I wish more people knew about it.”
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Puyallup Kiwanis Foundation
The Puyallup Kiwanis Foundation can be contacted at P.O. Box 451, Puyallup WA 98371.