Launch the media gallery 1 playerGaylord & Alta Wallace Honored for Generous Gifts to Community
December 05, 2013
Residents of Burwell and surrounding communities are invited to celebrate the lives and generosity of two longtime friends, Gaylord and Alta Wallace, at the Senior Center on Friday, December 6.Gaylord and Alta spent most of their lives working on their Hill Ranch north of Burwell. They were strong supporters of their community and were deeply appreciative of its culture and history. Gaylord passed away at the age of 99 in January 2013. His wife, Alta McClimans Wallace, preceded him in death several years before.Gaylord and Alta are true examples of how caring for others and their community can continue in extraordinary ways long after their lifetimes! said Johanna Jeffres, Chairperson of the Burwell Community Fund.Before his death, Gaylord had carefully arranged planned gifts to benefit the organizations and causes he and Alta cared deeply about. Throughout the process, it was Gaylords hope that his gifts would encourage others to give to the community and see how important it is, said his niece, Marilyn Wallace Harris of Lincoln. He put a lot of care and forethought into his gifts. Gaylord would be thrilled to think that people were gathering in his honor to talk about his gifts. And, Gaylord loved pie! said Mrs. Harris.Although Gaylord was born in Castleton, Kansas, he always said that Burwell was the best place that anyone could live. His legacy gifts totally $480,000, provided through his estate, are evidence that he meant what he said.According to Marilyn Wallace Harris, Gaylord was very concerned with the declining population in small towns. He did not want that to happen in Burwell. He felt it was important for our community to have a community fund that can invest in ways that help Burwell thrive.Recently, the Burwell Community Fund received $250,000 from Gaylord Wallaces estate to benefit several community causes including endowments for the a scholarship fund, the Cottonwood Cemetery, and the Calamus Area Endowment Fund. Additional gifts were also given to the Garfield County Historical Society and Museum and the Burwell Fire and Rescue Department.Another major gift of $100,000 was bequeathed to Kamp Kaleo on the River to be used for development and upkeep. Other significant gifts benefiting the Burwell area were given to the Burwell United Church of Christ, the Burwell Senior Center, the Burwell Salvation Army and the American Red Cross.Several of these generous gifts are endowed. This means that they will go on giving for generations, because only a portion of the annual earnings are used to make grants to community causes. This allows the endowment to grow and continue to give back forever.Gaylord and Alta will be missed by many people in the community. But they will also be remembered for their kindness and generous spirit. The Burwell Community Fund cordially invites you for pie and coffee to celebrate the legacy of Gaylord and Alta Wallace and to honor their gifts to the community on Friday, December 6 at the Senior Center.The Burwell Community is an affiliated fund of the Nebraska Community Foundation. For more information contact Johanna Jeffres at (308) 346-5123 or (308) 346-5547.
