The Spirit of a Special Season

By Chris Askin CSPG, CFRE
President & CEO

I hope you are enjoying a wonderful holiday season, with Hanukkah celebrated earlier this month and this week’s traditional Christmas gatherings, all followed by the week of Kwanzaa that takes us right up to New Year’s Day. 

In the Spirit of the Season, I’d like to let each of you know how truly grateful I am. With my retirement now just one month away, this season is even more meaningful. I find myself reflecting not just on this past year, but on all the rewarding years since I was first given the opportunity to lead the Community Foundation starting in 2000. What memories!

The holiday season has a way of reconnecting us with what is truly important. I am deeply, emotionally thankful for this incredible life and for the best friends and family a soul can have. I’m so appreciative of my Community Foundation family, including an amazing staff, a dedicated and brilliant board, for generous fundholders and donors, community-minded professional advisors, and community partners, all of whom put helping others ahead of personal considerations.

This season also serves as a reminder that the Community Foundation of Northern Nevada, your Community Foundation, is merely a conduit, a collective, a representation of you and others in the community. We are all in service, together, on behalf of the people of our community. 

From what I have experienced and witnessed, the people of our community are what unites our entire team and energizes us, day by day, year by year. These are the families in need, the individuals working to build a better life, and the people who are the inspiring human embodiments of service to others. The people of our region give us our drive and determination to bring about real impact, real improvement, real life-changing help to those around us … our neighbors and fellow community residents.

Our time and treasure that we bring together in pursuit of these objectives represents the true meaning of the holidays. Working collaboratively, humbly, sincerely, passionately, I could not be prouder of what we all do together, what we have built together, and what is to come in the future as we continue to grow together.

As you celebrate the season, I share my most grateful thanks and best wishes to you and yours. Thank you for the great honor of your support and involvement, and, in the Spirit of the Season, please enjoy your precious time with family and friends. 

Merry Christmas, Happy Holidays and All the Best in 2022.

The Community Foundation of Northern Nevada is strengthening our community through philanthropy and leadership by connecting people who care with causes that matter. We welcome your call at 775-333-5499 or email us at info@nevadafund.org.

December 25, 2021