Charity foundation announces new hire

By Sally Voth -- svoth@nvdaily.com

WOODSTOCK -- Shenandoah Community Foundation President Jeffrey Dalke believes the organization's newest hire will raise its profile.

Edinburg resident Jeanne Russell starts as the foundation's program coordinator this week.

"She is to manage our grant and scholarship programs, also do some development work," Dalke said Tuesday. "We're very excited.

I think she will be terrific in the position, increase our community presence and delivery of services. She has been very active in Edinburg for some time, various community things there."

Founded in 1999, the Shenandoah Community Foundation matches donors with causes.
Last year, it awarded more than $100,000 worth of grants to area charities and scholarships to students, according to a news release.

Russell's position is a new one, and is part time, Dalke said.

"This new position resulted because we previously had a position of executive director and that person resigned to take a full-time job elsewhere," he said.

Russell said she first heard about the foundation several years ago while doing her former radio show, "Just Say It!" on WSVG.

"The more I found out about them, they're just wonderful," Russell said Tuesday. "I think it's an honor to be able to work for an organization that does nothing but good."

Besides working on the grants and scholarships programs, Russell said she anticipates talking to the public about the foundation and explaining how to start endowments.

"I have a varied background," she said.

Russell's resume, available at www.jrussellforhire.com, shows she does promotions, writing, and design projects through her creative services business, and has worked as a publications associate, a military personnel technician, a graphic designer, a paralegal, a waitress and even a sandwich board model.

She has served on the Shenandoah County Parks and Recreation Advisory Board, and is on the superintendent of Shenandoah County Public Schools' leadership team and the board of Theater Shenandoah, according to her resume.

For more information about the community foundation, call 459-7737, or visit www.ShenandoahCF.org.