In 2013 we celebrated the 45th anniversary of the
creation of the Clarence B. Robertson
Fund and all the good works it underpins at countless nonprofits in southeastern Virginia -- from the Foodbank of Southeastern
Virginia to St. Mary's Home and Lynnhaven River NOW.
Many people may not remember Clarence Robertson, the Norfolk, Virginia business and civic leader who died in 1965 at age 73. But, we do. Today we thank him for exemplifying the optimistic spirit of the more than 400 fundholders at the Hampton Roads Community Foundation:
Clarence Robertson knew his community would have future needs; he just couldn't predict exactly what they would be.
That is why Robertson, president of Norfolk's Robertson
Investment Corp. and Robertson Chemical Co., chose to create an unrestricted fund at his community foundation. This permanent
charitable fund lives on long after Robertson and his companies. It is forever
providing grants to an array of good causes
in his home region through the Hampton Roads Community
Foundation.  |
| Clarence Robertson
Photo courtesy of Hampden-Sydney
College
|
Many people may not remember Clarence Robertson, the Norfolk, Virginia business and civic leader who died in 1965 at age 73. But, we do. Today we thank him for exemplifying the optimistic spirit of the more than 400 fundholders at the Hampton Roads Community Foundation:
Clarence Robertson knew his community would have future needs; he just couldn't predict exactly what they would be.
Robertson was a World War I veteran who led boards for the United Communities Fund, Bonney Home for Girls, Norfolk Museum of Arts and Sciences, Norfolk General Hospital and the Central YMCA. He was a First Presbyterian Church elder who served on the board of Hampden-Sydney College, his alma mater. He saw many changes in his years as a community volunteer, and he witnessed the powerful ways philanthropy gives others better lives.
In 1968, Robertson's generous $42,000
estate gift to the community foundation established a permanent
unrestricted fund in his name. Through the power of endowment, the Robertson
Fund has provided more than $215,000 in grants over the decades to
dozens of area nonprofits. With a value today of $170,737, the
Robertson Fund is poised to do good in Hampton Roads for generations to
come.
Robertson inspired his cousin, Lelia E. Robertson of Norfolk to start two new unrestricted funds at the community foundation. She was a former Norfolk YWCA board president who created one fund in 1973 in memory of her late father Walter H. Robertson. He founded the Robertson Chemical fertilizer company that Clarence later led. After Lelia died in 1979, her estate gift created a second charitable fund -- the Lelia E. Robertson Fund.
Robertson inspired his cousin, Lelia E. Robertson of Norfolk to start two new unrestricted funds at the community foundation. She was a former Norfolk YWCA board president who created one fund in 1973 in memory of her late father Walter H. Robertson. He founded the Robertson Chemical fertilizer company that Clarence later led. After Lelia died in 1979, her estate gift created a second charitable fund -- the Lelia E. Robertson Fund.
All three Robertson funds have grown while
continuing to help Hampton Roads citizens thrive. For that we say thank you.
