The four years I’ve spent as a member of the Youth Fund Advisory Committee have been nothing short of life-changing. The Youth Fund, which is an affiliate fund of the Community Foundation of Lorain County, has allowed me to grow into myself as an individual, leader, community member, and philanthropist. Serving on the Youth Fund has given me a voice.
I came to the Youth Fund as a Freshman at Clearview High School. Although I was one of the youngest members of the group, I quickly discovered that the single Sunday per month I would spend surrounded by twenty peers from other Lorain County high schools would become one of the most refreshing and engaging ways to spend a Sunday afternoon. At our meetings, the Youth Fund addressed issues affecting local youth, world poverty and starvation, and service learning in the classroom. Additionally, the Youth Fund visited many area landmarks and locales such as Second Harvest Food Bank, The Lorain County Disaster Management Headquarters, The Lorain Lighthouse, Common Ground, and Wesleyan Village. At these site visits, Youth Fund members gained a knowledge of the history of Lorain County, learned team-building skills, and assisted those in need.
Grantmaking is central to the Youth Fund’s existence; I have been honored to discover so many area teachers who promote not only learning in the classroom, but community service as well. Through our grants, I have been able to see wonderful projects grow in Lorain County, whether it be a school garden, blankets for the needy, or Wesleyan Village’s Second Wind Dreams project (where residents dreams have been fulfilled, dreams such as flying a helicopter or seeing a Cleveland Indians baseball game).
Additionally, the Youth Fund has granted me some personal, intangible gifts, that I have seen flourish within myself. As a Freshman and first-year member of the Fund, I was sent to the Michigan Community Foundations’ Youth Project, where I met other Youth Fund Advisory Committees, participated in community service projects, and learned how to start solving pressing national issues, such as challenging literacy tests, water treatment, and proper media advertising. Most importantly, however, I discovered several friends who also shared my passion for influencing the world; I am still friends with the three other girls I met that year, and have plans to visit all of them this fall!
As I gained my footing in the Youth Fund, I was given a voice by being elected as Secretary in my Junior year and as President in my Senior year. I was honored to receive these positions and loved being able to encourage new members to develop to their full potential. As President, I was able to represent the Youth Fund at the Ohio Grantmakers Forum through a recorded interview and become a first-time youth seat on the Community Foundation Board, both opportunities which allowed me to be heard in an even broader community.
My four-year experience as a Youth Fund member has changed my life – and my community.
Rebecca Temerario
