Four Way Community Foundation celebrates

Four Way Community Foundation celebrates Midge Renton with
2021 Distinguished Service Award.
Fay Spears to be honored with Lifetime Service Award.

Grants Pass, Ore., September 2, 2021— The Four Way Community Foundation will honor Grants Pass resident Midge Renton with its fifteenth annual Louis F. Schultz, Jr. Distinguished Service Award, in recognition of her decades of commitment to education and service in Josephine County. Renton will receive the award and a check for $10,000 for the nonprofit of her choice at the Community Spirit Celebration, which will be held virtually this year.

Midge Renton has lived in Grants Pass since 1966. Here she and her late husband Bill raised three sons, David, Dan, and Dennis. She was a teacher and then principal of Fort Vannoy Elementary School, and a key founder and board member of Rogue Community College. She tirelessly promoted Community Concerts, and served as President of the Rotary Club of Grants Pass. For 25 years she mentored college-bound students at North Valley High School. Midge has served on many boards, including Family Solutions, The Four Way Community Foundation, AAUW, and Community Concerts. Her contributions are too numerous to track. When people ask her what her title is, she simply says “Active Community Volunteer.”

“Midge Renton has worked relentlessly to make this community better, and has done so with a smile,” said Four Way Foundation Board Secretary Dawn Welch. “She has always made it fun to do even the heavy lifting of improving our shared home. Countless people have learned from her how to drive big efforts joyfully. It is our honor to name her the 2021 Distinguished Service Awardee.”

A special Lifetime Achievement Award will be given in honor of Fay Spears, who cherished the children of Josephine County and brought science enrichments to classrooms, and helped Highland Elementary school meet the needs of students and their families. She led local artists in adorning the hospital walls with quilted art, and brought comfort to many with her therapy dogs. Fay passed away in 2021 and will be deeply missed. $1,000 in her honor will be given to a local nonprofit selected by her family.

Also, a special gift of $500 will be presented to the Kerbyville Museum in honor of the late Dennis Strayer, whose dedication to the museum and the preservation of local history was limitless.

Due to pandemic precautions, the Four Way Community Foundation will convert its annual dinner event to a virtual Celebration, to be held on Zoom. To request the event link, send an email to [email protected] or call (541) 474-9774.