The Greater Saint John Community Foundation        

25th Anniversary Retrospective

(presented November 2001)

1975 - Considering the concept of a locally governed, independent permanent trustee of endowment funds for Saint John ···

In the mid-seventies, a small group of about 15 Saint John community and business leaders met at the YMCA  to consider the value of a community foundation. Graeme Somerville, one of the participants would later establish a fund with the foundation. From that gathering, three lawyers and a banker pursued the initiative. The group liked the concept of a locally governed, independent, permanent trustee of endowment funds that could generate earnings that stayed right here in Greater Saint John, making grants to area charities. They also identified a number of estates and bequests whose funds were sitting idle, underutilized or awaiting distribution to Greater Saint John area charities.

 1976 - The community foundation becomes law ···

Adrian Gilbert, Q.C., Wallace D. Macaulay, Q.C.,(now Justice) Wallace S. Turnbull, Q.C., and Henry Caldwell, then General Manager of the Bank of Nova Scotia, agreed to pursue the establishment of a foundation for our community. They guided an act, modeled on other Canadian Community Foundations, through the legislative process, to become law in 1976, the second community foundation to be established in the Province. Originally called The Saint John Foundation, the name was changed in 2000 to better reflect the original goals for the new millennium.

The first meeting and chairman ···

The initial 1976 meeting of The Foundation was chaired by Mayor Edis Flewelling. Well known businessman, community supporter and philanthropist, the late Philip W. Oland, a nominee of the United Way, was selected Chair, a position he retained until he was named Honorary Chair in 1995.

The founding board···

In addition to the city’s Mayor, the first directors consisted of representatives of the Saint John Law Society, Wallace D. Macaulay, Q.C., and Wallace S. Turnbull, Q.C., the Saint John Medical Society, Dr. Henry J. Flood; the Saint John Board of Trade, James M. Crosby, and Walter E. Harris, the nominee of the Saint John District Labour Council, and long-serving vice-chairman, having retired in 1999.

Those who have served···

Mr. John F. McCrossin, C.A. was appointed treasurer of The Foundation in 1976. He served with commitment and loyalty for 21 years.

Past directors who gave of their time and talents include: Norman Herrington, another long serving director; Dr. Wesley Stephen Thomas Drummie Q.C. and Mayors Samuel Davis, Robert Lockhart; Elsie Wayne and Thomas Higgins.

The 2001 Board ···The 25th Anniversary Year···

The Board of Directors have demonstrated a strong commitment to Greater Saint John (Lino J. Celeste, Gerald S. McMackin, Mike Doyle, Nancy Creamer, Thomas Gribbons, Mayor Shirley McAlary, Brenda Murphy, Edward Reevey, Patrick Riley, Cheryl Robertson,and Dr. Gerald Sparkes).

We thank our donors for our growing list of friends···

Bequests from the Old Ladies Home on Broad Street and Dr. Robert Pendrigh of West Saint John formed the initial endowment funds of The Foundation. Our community is greatly indebted to the subsequent generosity of many donors including: Florence W. Wetmore, Violet Stirling, Marie Earle, Ella Botsford, Florence M. Christie, Catherine B. Gale, Sea High Resources Limited (James Turnbull), The Home for Aged Couples, Cecil H. Dexter, Hazen Horncastle, Mary E. Horncastle , Stanley Ross, the Somerville and Smith families, the McKean Family Foundation (established by Mary K. McKean), the Charles Wilson Family Foundation, The T.R. Meighen Foundation, Elizabeth Lewin, Dr. James Lewin, Lawrence Earl and Gregory Walsh. Funds (as of 2001) have grown to approximately $8 million comprised of:

Common ( Community )Fund, 1976

The Old Ladies Home Fund, 1977

The Dr. Malcolm M. Somerville Bursaries in Business Fund, 2000

The C.N. Wilson Fund, 2000

The Jane Armstrong Earl Fund, 2001

The Marie Murphy Walsh Clock Fund 2001.

Our donors’ interest and commitment to Greater Saint John continues to live on through semi-annual grants made to local charities. Over $2.7 million has been distributed to local charities in the last 25 years (1976-2001).

From those beginnings, The Greater Saint John Community Foundation’s goal has always been to provide a way for people to make lasting gifts for the good of our community even as social needs varied over time.