Blog Posts
Art Education
I do not consider myself to be an art aficionado, but I do appreciate art that clearly tells a story. Perhaps it is the accounting major in me that is drawn to the intricate details of art, such as the iconic western scenes of Frederic Remington and Charles Russell....
Grace Under Pressure
Reflecting on 9/11 and witnessing the response to recent hurricanes in Texas and Florida, reminds me that most people respond to hardship and tragedy with tremendous grace and compassion. This innate response is the very root of the word philanthropy…loving people....
Home is Where The Heart Is
Summer is a time for many families to hit the road and explore America. Our family has had our share of the open road and interesting destinations this summer. I hope you have too. Early August is an especially popular time for many East Texans to seek refuge from the...
The Summer Giving Slump
Summertime has arrived in East Texas. The cool evenings and enjoyable 80 degree days of late spring have begun to yield to the uncomfortably warm southerly winds ushering in what I like to call Texas convection cooking, where we are all slowly cooked by the wind....
Honor Thy Mother this Mother’s Day
The celebration of Mother’s Day is an opportunity to reflect on one of life’s most amazing gifts, the gift of motherhood. Some columns I write do not pertain to everyone in the reading audience, but not this one. First and foremost, what a blessing it is for each of...
Early spring: Get a jump on East Texas Giving Day this year!
As the azaleas in my yard attest, spring came a little early this year. There are still beautiful flowers and trees in abundance around town (as my allergies faithfully remind me), but the brief annual burst of azaleas was just slightly ahead of the festivities that...
Examine Why You Give
As the Trump administration and the 115th Congress begin implementing executive and legislative reforms that their constituents sent them to Washington to enact, the one thing that is certain in the coming days is change. As the recent recipient of a notification that...
Transfer values, not just valuables, to future generations
The February, the East Texas Estate Planning Council meeting drew the largest crowd of professionals in several years, and featured a topic of interest to many individuals in our community. In fact, I would suggest the topic is a serious concern to many families, and...
Donor-Advised funds become No. 1 US charity
One of the headlines in the Oct. 27 issue of the Chronicle of Philanthropy was “Fidelity Overtakes United Way as New Charity Champion.” The article was reporting on the Chronicle’s annual ranking of the Top 400 charities in the United States, based on contributions...
Scholarships Honor Lives Well Lived
Velma Lemons’ teaching career spanned 39 years, including 30 years in Tyler ISD. Along the way, she and her husband raised four children in Tyler. In addition to serving in the PTA and teaching Sunday School at their church, Velma served in the Girl Scouts and Boy...