Clarks’ legacy of giving endures through Carroll County Community Foundation

The Wayne and Janet Clark Charitable Endowment last week provided a significant grant to the Friends of the Berryville Library to bolster support for the new library building program. Pictured from left to right on the front row are Carroll County Community Foundation board chair Joe Scott, CCCF board member Mavis Lehr, Kristy Noble Tesch (representing the Berryville Friends of the Library), CCCF Executive Director Janell Robertson and CCCF board member Taylor Hudspeth. From left to right on the back row are CCCF board members Mike Reed, Teddy Willing and Kathy McCormick. Photo courtesy of Carroll County Community Foundation

Carroll County Community Foundation’s Board of Directors is working to continue the charitable legacy of the late Wayne and Janet Clark. Supporters of the Community Foundation since its inception in 2001, the Clarks created their own named endowment in 2002 which endures today — lending financial assistance to many projects throughout the county in their memory.

In the past 12 months, the Wayne and Janet Clark Charitable Endowment has provided two significant donations to the Berryville community. In the summer of 2024, a Clark Endowment grant built a safety fence around the Janet Clark Memorial Playground next to the Berryville Community Center.

“The addition of the fencing around our playground has been a huge safety benefit for our patrons and looks attractive as well,” said Berryville Parks and Recreation director Jamie Hussey. “We cannot say enough how thankful and blessed we are for the contributions of our donors and the Clark Endowment through the Carroll County Community Foundation.”

Last week, the Clark Endowment provided a significant grant to the Friends of the Berryville Library to bolster support for the new library building program.

“We are very thankful for the support of the Clark Endowment,” Berryville Library director Julie Hall said. “Like an endowment, a new library in Berryville will be a gift that serves our community for generations to come. We have been raising money towards this goal for years and are breaking ground April 1. While this is a momentous achievement, we are not done yet. We need to raise additional funds to furnish the building.”

The Clarks’ charitable legacy is a perfect example of the power of an endowment — it grows through investment and gives out grants forever. In 23 years, their endowment has provided 75 grants totaling more than $215,000. It will never stop giving back in their memory. The Clarks understood that a charitable gift should be an investment in a cause you care about that will generate unending returns for the entire community.

“We are so thankful for donors like the Clarks,” said Janell Robertson, executive director of the Carroll County Community Foundation. “Their love and continued support for our county through their thoughtful and generous endowment reminds us that we can all make a difference, not just now, but forever.”

Working with the Carroll County Community Foundation provides charitable donors with the opportunity to give where it matters to them while maximizing their tax-deductible contributions.

Arkansas Community Foundation, a statewide nonprofit organization, provides resources, insight and inspiration to build stronger Arkansas communities — communities where our kids will want to raise their kids. The Community Foundation is the largest grantmaker in the state in the number of grants made each year. Since 1976, the Foundation has awarded more than half a billion in grants to nonprofits. Serving local communities through a 29-affiliate network along with statewide initiatives, the foundation staff works directly with donors, professional advisors and nonprofits to help strengthen Arkansas communities through strategic philanthropy and focusing on local needs. Its assets rank among the top 60 of community foundations in the United States with more than $800 million in charitable assets under management.