Donald R. Myers Legacy Fund to Support Partnership in Appalachian Ohio Established

Fund supports collaboration and leadership

Donald R. Myers was a passionate advocate for Appalachian Ohio who dedicated himself to improving this region. For many years, he served as executive director of the Ohio Mid-Eastern Governments Association, which is a collaborative body of member governments acting as a facilitator between state and federal government agencies and local entities to provide opportunities in economic and community development. Myers was also the president of the Eastern Ohio Development Alliance (EODA), a nonprofit organization promoting economic growth through regional cooperation.

Through these two leadership roles, Myers championed issues such as fulfilling basic needs, developing critical infrastructure and providing community leaders with access to regional education and networking opportunities. He was a voice for the region in the government halls of Washington D.C., securing countless financial investments to support Appalachia’s progress in meeting basic needs.

Myers’ unexpected passing in April, 2008, left a hole in the region that will not easily be filled. To carry on his legacy, the Foundation has established the Donald R. Myers Fund to Support Partnership in Appalachian Ohio with an initial contribution of $10,000 from Columbia Gas of Ohio. This fund will provide a permanent source of funding to support the region’s nonprofit and government organizations in collaborative activities that benefit quality of life. Grant distributions from the fund will support projects that make a difference in the areas to which Myers dedicated his advocacy.

“Through this fund, we will work to advance the issues about which Mr. Myers was so passionate,” said the Foundation’s president and CEO, Cara Dingus Brook. “Mr. Myers made a significant difference in this region, but we realize there are many basic needs that still need to be addressed, and there are many opportunities for education and regional partnership we can leverage.”

Contributions to this fund can be made through the Foundation and should be designated to the Donald R. Myers Legacy Fund. You can make your gift online, or mail it to:

Foundation for Appalachian Ohio
P.O. Box 456
Nelsonville, Ohio 45764.

For more information, call 740-753-1111.