Support the Parkersburg Area Community Foundation and all of the good work it does in our community.

The Community Sponsors Campaign invests in the Foundation's vision of a vibrant region and provides ongoing support for the area's arts and culture, community improvement, education, health and wellness, human services, recreation, youth development, and so much more!

Your gift today enables the Foundation to do more to improve our region’s quality of life and to brighten the outlook for our area’s future.

• Partner in Philanthropy: $1,750 & Above
• Regional Sponsor: $1,250 - $1,749
• Area Champion: $750 - $1,249
• Community Builder: $500 - $749
• Benefactor: $250 - $499
• Associate: $100 - $249
• Friend: Up to $99

This fund was created by the Doddridge County Community Foundation affiliate to support charitable needs in the community. Grants from the fund are awarded annually to organizations serving Doddridge County residents through the Foundation's Community Action Grant Program.

The Little Kanawha Area Community Foundation affiliate created the Gilmer County Grantmaking Fund to support the charitable needs of Gilmer County. Grants from the fund are awarded through the Foundation's Community Action Grant program.

This fund was established by the Ritchie County Community Foundation to provide support for charitable projects that benefit the county.

After James A. “Jim” Rader passed away in May 2022, his siblings, Susan White, Jessie Spero, and Fred Rader chose to honor his memory through the creation of two endowment funds with the Little Kanawha Area Community Foundation.

Son of the late Raymond and Carolyn Sims Rader, Jim was a life-long resident of Wirt County who was a 1974 Wirt County High School graduate and a graduate of West Virginia Institute of Technology. He was a math teacher at Wirt County High School, an avid supporter of Wirt County Schools and Tiger sports teams, and served on the Wirt County Board of Education. Devoted to local history and genealogy, particularly maintaining the Sims family history, Jim was also a faithful member of the Elizabeth Baptist Church.

The new Elizabeth Baptist Church Endowment Fund will provide permanent annual unrestricted support to the Church. The Two Runs Baptist Church Cemetery Maintenance Fund will provide a perpetual fund for cemetery maintenance and upkeep.

Although the family initiated these endowment funds to honor Jim, they hope that others who wish to support either of these causes will consider donating.

“My family and I started these funds to honor our brother and to encourage other concerned citizens to include a donation to these funds through their estate plans,” said Fred Rader. “By doing so, they are ensuring that the Elizabeth Baptist Church and Two Runs Baptist Church Cemetery are taken care of long after we’ve passed away.”

After a valiant struggle with cancer, Craig went to be with his Lord and Savior on February 19th. He died at home surrounded by his beloved friends and family.

Craig was born the son of John W. Richards and Paula J. Brasseur on September 27th of 1961. As a 1983 graduate of the West Virginia Institute of Technology School of Engineering, Craig began his long and dedicated career as a licensed PE in the state of West Virginia.

In 1988, Craig became an employee of Burgess and Niple, beginning his 34-year tenure with the firm. In that time, he became a valued and loyal employee dedicating his passions to servicing areas of West Virginia, Ohio, Michigan, and Virginia. His service led to many successes and accolades amongst the engineering community by and large. Craig was the director of the Engineering Section of the firm’s Parkersburg, WV office and earned shared ownership with the company. He was the immediate Past-President of the West Virginia Water Environment Association, Chairman of the Vienna Planning Commission, and Secretary/Treasurer of the Northern Panhandle Watershed Council, to name a few. Most recently, Craig played a pivotal role in the development of the West Virginia Infrastructure Report Card- a report that aided Senator Manchin and the US Senate to pass the US infrastructure Bill of 2022.

Craig was the dedicated husband of Vickie, his wife. They were blessed with 37 beautiful years of marriage. Craig and Vickie also raised two daughters- Megan (Lee) Weiss of Marietta, and Katlyn Richards of Parkersburg; and they were blessed with two fun filled grandsons, Henry and Harvey Aston of Marietta.

Craig was passionate about engineering, cars, and being the handyman extraordinaire. Friends and family of Craig would often find him tinkering on one of his beloved Mustangs or taking the car for a drive with his wife, daughters, and grandsons. He was also an active member of St. Margaret Mary Catholic Church, sharing a faith that provided him with the comfort and strength he needed in the final days of his life. Those who knew Craig would describe him as diligent, dedicated, compassionate, and honorable.

Craig was preceded in death by his mother and his beloved mother-in-law, Marilyn S. (Darrell) Moore of Parkersburg.

He is survived by his step-father, Michael T. Riley of Parkersburg; his step-mother, Ann Richards of Parkersburg; his father-in-law, Darrell Moore of Parkersburg; his four sisters, Sheila (David) Marra of Clarksburg, Jacquie L. Duley of Parkersburg, Jacquie D. Richards of Vienna and Ann Horton of Parkersburg; and his three brothers, John Paul (Connie) Richards of Washington, John W. Richards of Parkersburg, and Tony Pickens of Wheeling.

Mass of Christian Burial will be held at 11 am on Saturday, February 25, 2023, at St. Margaret Mary Catholic Church in Parkersburg with Father Steve Vallelonga as celebrant. Burial will follow in Mt. Carmel Catholic Cemetery in Parkersburg. Visitation will be held from 4:00 to 7:00 pm on Friday, February 24, 2023, at Lambert-Tatman Funeral Home, Vienna, with Christian Wake services at 7:00 pm.

Craig’s family and friends are creating a memorial fund in his honor and encourages gifts to the Parkersburg Area Community Foundation (PACF) in memory of Craig Richards. Gifts may be mailed to, P.O. Box 1762, Parkersburg, WV, 26102. Gifts may also be made online to: PACF@pacfwv.com with a note that they are in memory of Craig.

This non-permanent fund is designed to support the Lion Club of Parkersburg’s work of providing assistance for children with low vision or vision impairment.

Parkersburg Bridge Partners recently made a $15,000 donation to the Parkersburg Area Community Foundation (PACF). The creation of a donor advised fund with PACF will allow Parkersburg Bridge Partners (PBP) to award grants to organizations and causes that are important to the company and community.

This is one of PBP’s first charitable investments in the Mid-Ohio Valley. With construction on the rehabilitation of Parkersburg Memorial Bridge scheduled to begin this month, the company is following through on its commitment to make long-term investments in the community.

“We are happy to partner with the Parkersburg Area Community Foundation on this charitable giving fund. We can make a larger impact on the area by working with the foundation and recommending grants through their process. We look forward to learning more about the area’s non-profit organizations, their needs and how we can support them moving forward,” said Ken Szeliga, Vice President of Construction and Operations for Parkersburg Bridge Partners.

Interested applicants can learn more about the donor advised grant process and apply for donations through the foundation’s website, www.pacfwv.com.

“We applaud Parkersburg Bridge Partners for its corporate commitment to strengthening our community’s critical infrastructure, both in the form of its work to rehabilitate the Memorial Bridge, as well as through its commitment to building a company donor advised fund with the Parkersburg Area Community Foundation. Since 1963, the PACF has worked to build lasting resources for the betterment of the Mid-Ohio Valley; we welcome this new partnership to support PBP’s charitable goals. With its support for the new advised fund, the PBP team clearly demonstrates its long-term dedication to our region’s benefit and its desire to be a good neighbor. An advised fund will enable PBP to easily and efficiently invest in the social good of our community,” said PACF’s Executive Director, Judy Sjostedt Ritchie.

About Parkersburg Bridge Partners

Parkersburg Bridge Partners (PBP) is the owner of Parkersburg Memorial Bridge. A subsidiary of United Bridge Partners, PBP will fund, design, build, operate and maintain Memorial Bridge. PBP has assembled a national-caliber design, engineering, construction and operations team with substantial experience successfully delivering bridge projects across the United States.

For more information about the Memorial Bridge project, residents are encouraged to visit www.parkersburgbridgepartners.com or follow PBP on Facebook and LinkedIn.

After James A. “Jim” Rader passed away in May 2022, his siblings, Susan White, Jessie Spero, and Fred Rader chose to honor his memory through the creation of two endowment funds with the Little Kanawha Area Community Foundation.

Son of the late Raymond and Carolyn Sims Rader, Jim was a life-long resident of Wirt County who was a 1974 Wirt County High School graduate and a graduate of West Virginia Institute of Technology. He was a math teacher at Wirt County High School, an avid supporter of Wirt County Schools and Tiger sports teams, and served on the Wirt County Board of Education. Devoted to local history and genealogy, particularly maintaining the Sims family history, Jim was also a faithful member of the Elizabeth Baptist Church.

The new Elizabeth Baptist Church Endowment Fund will provide permanent annual unrestricted support to the Church. The Two Runs Baptist Church Cemetery Maintenance Fund will provide a perpetual fund for cemetery maintenance and upkeep.

Although the family initiated these endowment funds to honor Jim, they hope that others who wish to support either of these causes will consider donating.

“My family and I started these funds to honor our brother and to encourage other concerned citizens to include a donation to these funds through their estate plans,” said Fred Rader. “By doing so, they are ensuring that the Elizabeth Baptist Church and Two Runs Baptist Church Cemetery are taken care of long after we’ve passed away.”