Giving
Over the years, Jane Burdette has been involved with a wide variety of charitable organizations throughout our community. Several years ago, in order to provide support for important charitable causes, Ms. Burdette established an advised fund at the Foundation. "I have been involved with many community groups and have been able to see worthwhile ideas become reality with Foundation assistance," Ms. Burdette said. Now, she can help to support many important community projects through recommending grants from her advised fund. The fund provides financial support to worthwhile community projects, with special attention to projects that are new, innovative, and creative and those that respond to important community needs.
Jane was educated in Wood County schools being the first student to attend regular classes while using a wheelchair for muscular dystrophy. She graduated from
Parkersburg High School and earned college degrees from Parkersburg Community College and Glenville State College and her master's degree from West Virginia
University. She also received an honorary Doctorate of Divinity.
Jane's employment experiences included nonprofit consultant work, grant writing for numerous charitable organizations, former YWCA executive director, vice
president of Burdette Funeral Home, rehabilitation services manager of SW Resources, and recruiter and fundraiser for the Muscular Dystrophy Association.
Jane has served in leadership capacities on numerous boards and advisory councils on the local, county and state level including the Wood County
Commission on Crime, Delinquency and Correction (Chairman), Wood County Juvenile Crime Enforcement Coalition, West Virginia's Wood County Highway
Safety Advocate, and the CASA (Court Appointed Special Advocate) Project Review Panel.
Jane's interest in enabling all to enjoy recreation led to her involvement with Mountwood Park, White Oak Village Advisory Committee, and Parkersburg Area
Recreation Committee; the Boundless Playground Committee; and SCORP (WV's Statewide Outdoor Recreation Plan ) Task Force where all of West Virginia's
state parks and forests were evaluated with recommendations on how to make them all inclusive.
Jane is a member of the Wood County Democratic Executive Committee serving as the first woman chairman, Democratic Women's Club, Parkersburg Municipal
Democrat Committee, League of Women Voters, and Governor-elect Joe Manchin's Transition Team, and she was a City of Parkersburg Mayoral and City Council
candidate. She also worked on WV's 150th Birthday Celebration County Committee.
Education is also high on Jane's priority list. She has served as a Wood County Board of Education Transition Plan Team Leader and been a member of Worthington
Elementary School PTA (President), Criss Elementary School PTA, West Virginia PTA, Children's Discovery Center Museum, Parkersburg Community College Board of Advisors, West Virginia University Alumni Association, Glenville State College Alumni Association, Parkersburg Community College Alumni Association, West Virginia University - Parkersburg Alumni Association, and Parkersburg High School Class of "73's Reunion (Chairman). In line with her interest in education, Jane has participated in multiple medical research studies and experimental drug treatment programs through Duke University, Ohio State University and Indiana University.
Jane is an advocate for disability rights, having been there from the beginning of the term "mainstreaming." Her work can be seen through participation on the boards of WV Statewide Rehabilitation Council, Inc. (President), Horizons Center for Independent Living, Inc. (President), A Special Wish Foundation, Inc., Westland Adams Management Corporation (President), Parkersburg Community Organization on Disability (President), WV Chapter of MDA (President), WV Statewide Independent Living Council, Inc., WV Council on Independent Living, the Consumer Advisory Committee, Western District Guidance Center (President), National Organization on Disability, SW Resources, Parkersburg Consumer Advisory Committee (President), Organ Donor Committee, Governor's Conference on Disability, Wood County Disability Awareness Essay Contest Judge, National - International Year of the Disabled Person as West Virginia's representative and national workshop leader, Jerry
Lewis Labor Day Telethon (Regional Chairman), Miss Wheelchair West Virginia Pageant Committee, the Governor's Commission on Disabled Persons, and MDA State
Youth Chairman, Legislative Chairman, and Public Relations Chairman.
Jane also has been involved with women's groups, including the Junior League of Parkersburg, GFWC Parkersburg Woman's Club, GFWC Western District President's Special Project Liaison, WV Women's Conference, Career Advisory Network, the Banquet of WEALTH Steering Committee, and the Epsilon Sigma Omicron Literary Sorority. She received the Epsilon Sigma Omicron Sorority recognition at the Star, Torch and Century Levels. She and friends enjoyed the Tea Tyme Golf Group and Girl's Night Out.
Jane holds a deep spiritual belief which is evidenced through her membership and volunteer work with the St. Joseph Hospital's Pastoral Care Department, St.
Margaret Mary Parish Pastoral Council, Parkersburg Christian Women's Club and St. Margaret Mary Catholic Church Sanctuary Society, All Saints Guild, Social
Justice and Christian Concern Division, and Prime Time Players.
Jane's social service work includes participation on the West Virginia Commission on National Community Service, Circle K (Kiwanis) Club (President),
Y Teen (YWCA) Club (President), Mid Ohio Valley Transit Authority, National Association of Female Executives, West Virginia Association and International
Association of Volunteer Administrators, Volunteer Action Center, Consumer Credit Counseling, and the Greater Parkersburg Community Service Council.
Jane has been honored on the local and international levels. She received the Mary Harriman Award, an International Visionary Award of the Junior League and
the highest international award offered through the association's four countries. US Supreme Court Judge, Sandra Day O'Connor, has also been a
recipient. Jane was inducted into the National Hall of Fame for Persons with Disabilities along with such notables as President Franklin D. Roosevelt and
Helen Keller. Her biography and picture are on display at Ohio State University with the other inductees.
Jane served as Miss Wheelchair West Virginia, representing the state's disabled population on the state, national, and international level. During her year,
she served as the national-international conference facilitator on grassroots efforts to remove barriers during the International Year of the Disabled Person.
Jane received Governor Underwood's Lifetime Achievement Service Award, the WTAP- TV's "One Who Makes A Difference" award, the WCHS- TV's
"Jefferson Award", the WSAZ- TV's "Hometown Hero" award, West Virginia University's Eberly College of Arts and Sciences Alumni
Recognition Award, Worthington Elementary Helping Hands Award, Western District Guidance Center Appreciation for Service Award, Good Neighbor Regional
Award, Glamour Magazine's "Cover Girl Women At Their Best" Award, Jennings Randolph Award, Home Depot's "Hometown Hero" award, Moose
Club's Community Service Award, Trail of New Beginnings Medal, and the WEALTH Trailblazer Award.
Jane was named WV's Professional Disabled Woman of the Year and has received the Toastmasters International Regional Communication and Leadership Award,
Parkersburg Fraternal Order of Police's Outstanding Citizen Award, St. Joseph Hospital Volunteer Service Award, Kenneth Heiges Service to MDA Award, Wood
County's Outstanding Democrat Award, WV MDA Personal Achievement Award, WV Outstanding Young Woman of the Year, and WV Women's Hall of Fame recognition. She also has received awards for sewing, cooking and artistic work.