News & Event
Join us for our 2017 annual luncheon! Register online now!
REGISTER ONLINE NOW
Join us to hear from President/CEO Mike Goorhouse and Vice President of Community Impact Elizabeth Kidd. This event features highlights of our recent grant impact and other community improvement efforts happening in the local nonprofit sector.
Please RSVP by
May 9th!
This event has historically filled to capacity so please register ASAP to secure your spot.
You will hear from President/CEO, Mike Goorhouse, and Vice President of Community Impact, Elizabeth Kidd, with highlights of our recent grant impact.
Patrick Cisler, Executive Director of the Lakeshore Nonprofit Alliance, will also join us to talk about our efforts to strengthen the local nonprofit sector.
Please RSVP by May 15!
Don't want to pay online with a credit card? You can also register by contacting Lina at rsvp@cfhz.org with names as you'd like them to appear on nametags, organization name if applicable, and any special dietary concerns you or your guests may have. You can then mail in a check, or you can pay over the phone with a credit card at 616-994-8854.
We've made the difficult decision to cancel our 2020 Annual Luncheon, previously scheduled for Thursday, May 21. The impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic continue to evolve, and it's our responsibility to keep public health at the forefront of our decisions. Until we can gather together again, we'll be sharing digital updates on our work in the community.
For any additional questions about this event cancellation, please contact Jessica Lynch at jlynch@cfhz.org
The Board of Trustees of the Community Foundation of the Holland/Zeeland Area elected a new slate of officers during its 2017 annual meeting.
Elected as Board Chair is Mark K. Harder, a partner with the law firm of Warner Norcross & Judd LLP. Harder chairs the firm’s Private Client and Family Office Practice and concentrates his practice in estate planning and administration for high-net-worth individuals and in the representation of family-owned businesses and their owners.
Harder succeeds Scott Spoelhof, who held the position of chair in 2016. Mark served as chair-elect to Spoelhof for the past year. Harder joined the Board in 2014 and has most recently served on the Foundation’s executive, governance, development, and audit committees.
“The Community Foundation plays an integral role in maintaining and improving the quality of life in our community as it helps steward resources to impact others,” Harder said. “I am deeply honored to be part of that effort and look forward to working with the leadership team and my fellow Board members to help create lasting positive change.”
Harder has been recognized as a Michigan Super Lawyer since 2006 and has been listed among The Best Lawyers in America since 2005. He was named Lawyer of the Year for Trusts and Estates in the Grand Rapids area in 2010 and again in 2017 and a Leading Lawyer in Michigan from 2014 to the present. He was also recognized for for his work in private wealth law by Chambers High Net Worth Guide in 2016.
Mark is a Fellow of the American College of Trusts and Estates Counsel and is a member of the American Bar Association, State Bar of Michigan, State Bar of Wisconsin, Ottawa County Bar Association, Michigan State Bar Foundation and American Bar Foundation. He is also a member of Attorneys for Family Held Enterprises.
Mark serves on the Institute of Continuing Legal Education Probate and Estate Planning Advisory Board. From 2003 until 2010, Mark led State Bar of Michigan efforts to write the Michigan Trust Code, as well as other legislation regulating how trusts are handled. In 2015, he authored a commentary for Michigan’s Uniform Principal and Income Act. He has also co-authored the Estates and Protected Individuals Code with Reporters’ Commentary from 2010 to 2017 for the Institute of Continuing Legal Education.
A graduate of Leadership Holland, Mark has been active in a variety of community organizations, including the Center for Women in Transition, Macatawa Cycling Club, Holland Area Chamber of Commerce, Hospice of Holland and the Grand Rapids-based Family Business Alliance.
Harder holds a bachelor of business administration with high distinction from the University of Iowa and his doctor of jurisprudence with highest distinction from the University of Iowa College of Law.
After a detailed application review process, area students were awarded scholarships in varying amounts from 94 different scholarship funds, for a total investment of over $600,000.
Students and their families came to the Yacht Basin Marina to meet the generous donors who made it possible for the students to receive these scholarships.
Mike Goorhouse, Community Foundation President and CEO, congratulated the scholars who he hopes will become future leaders in our community. “We’re honored to partner with your scholarship donors to support your educational journey,” he said.
Stacy Timmerman, Director of Scholarships, thanked the donors for their “continued support of the inspiring and deserving students.” She also addressed the students about the scholarship process. Stacy has spent many hours over the last few months reading through applications and meeting with review committees to determine recipients. “Students, please know that in our extremely competitive scholarship process, you were selected as the right person for your scholarship. We couldn’t be happier for you!” Stacy told them.
Jim Bishop from West Michigan Community Bank, who sponsored the event, shared his story on the many reasons he supports the Community Foundation. He spoke about how he received community foundation scholarships as a student and how that generosity changed his life for the better. It later inspired him to contribute financially and to get involved in board service at the community foundation as an adult. He encouraged each of the students to pay it forward to the next generation with time, talent, and/or treasure whenever they’re able.
The event also featured a student panel where four college students spoke about life in college and how different it can be from high school, some difficulties that come with college, and advice for incoming college freshman.
Stephanie Arndt from Hope College talked about how difficult it was for her to change her major and that she had to overcome her fear of claiming an English major, but it was” the most rewarding thing” she has ever done.
On advice for the scholarship recipients, student Kiannah Vandenberg from Grand Valley State University reminded the student scholars not to be upset or quit if they get a B or C on an assignment or in a course for the first time, as college classes can be very challenging and difficult even for the best students. She also talks about the opportunities of college internships which can give students college credit and experience doing something that they love.
After the panel, the reception lasted another hour with students and donors talking over cupcakes and lemonade and getting pictures taken together.
The Community Foundation is so happy to host this event that allows the students to meet and talk with their scholarship donors. We are so thankful to all of the donors for making such a big impact in the lives of these students. We congratulate these exemplary 2017 scholarship recipients and wish them every success in higher education and beyond.
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