Volunteer Leaders: Ann Burns
Chair, Community Foundation of Jackson County
- Hometown: Rural Delaware County
- Career: Retired education coordinator, Jackson County Conservation
- Board member since: 2018
Tell us about yourself!
I enjoy spending time with my family and in the great outdoors. I grew up on a small dairy/hog/mixed crop farm. My husband, Kevin, and I live on an acreage near Otter Creek. We love hosting our family, which includes our children Matt and Michelle, four granddaughters, and friends at our home. I like to hike, backpack, bicycle, kayak, and tend our garden, reconstructed prairie and young tree planting. I also enjoy serving as a substitute teacher and volunteering for various community projects.
What inspires you to serve on the Foundation board?
This organization supports individuals and nonprofits working to make Jackson County a wonderful place to live, work, raise and educate children. Outgoing board member Chris Nissen asked me to consider serving on the board. I was familiar with the opportunities the Foundation provides to area non-profits and I welcomed the opportunity to serve.
It is fun to award grants to groups that improve quality of life for people in our community. I enjoy learning more about the organizations that seek assistance from the Foundation and seeing the results of the projects we support. Staying for a second term on the board was an easy decision – I enjoy working with the other board members and our executive director, Lori Loch (and formerly Mary Jo Gothard).
One of my favorite projects was the fall 2019 “Kids of Baldwin” effort to pave a path in their small community, creating a safe place for kids to walk and ride their bikes as well as a walkway for adults. I was impressed with the hard work the families put into the project. When three of the youngsters came to our fall grant awards event, they were the hit of the night!