The mission of the Henderson Foundation is to assist in the support, maintenance, promotion and development of the public educational and charitable works and activities as presented to the community by the Henderson Memorial Public Library.
The Foundation has provided funds for Archival Materials, Children’s and Adult Programming, Computers, Microfilmed articles from the Jefferson Gazette, HVAC funding, and books and movies.
Current board members include: John Patterson (Chairperson), Phil Pawlowski, Pat Inman, John Broom, Michelle Fioritto, Gary Yost, and Diana Brook.
You can donate to the Henderson Foundation. Gifts can be deferred by will, trust, or endowment and may be in cash or property, real or personal or directly support any of the ongoing projects. The Henderson Library Foundation has been declared a 501(C)(3) charitable foundation. Gifts to the Foundation are tax exempt as permitted by law.
Foundation History
The Foundation was established on February 6, 1973 by Ralph A. Haskins and John E. Lampson with the help of the Northeast Ohio National Bank trust department. At the time, Haskins was serving as president of the Library Association and Lampson was chairman of the building committee. The old library attached to the old fire hall on the southeast corner of Jefferson and Chestnut streets had been condemned. Through the estate of Lloyd Henderson and donation by Ida Goldburg of a parcel of land at the corner of Satin and Chestnut Street the library had a little more than $300,000 to construct a new community facility. That land and cash was paid to Bud Woodbury in exchange for the old Judge Walter Woodbury homestead which became the site of Henderson Memorial Public Library. The Henderson Foundation was initially funded with $100 from the founders. It was intended that any funds left over from the initial bequest would be placed with the foundation. It was ruled "a conflict of interest" to serve on the foundation board and library board. Haskins continued as president of the Library Association and Lampson resigned to serve as a member of the Foundation Board. The other initial trustees were Clifford N. Currier, Theodore A. Peltz, Edward G. Ptaszek, and Julia S. Waters. The Foundation received its first large donation when Ora H. Henderson left the bulk of her estate to the library support organization. Miss Henderson had served as an ex-officio member of the building committee.
