On behalf of the board of directors of the Northampton Education Foundation, I write to express our heartfelt appreciation of the late Gerald “Jerry” Budgar. Jerry was a member of the board from its inception until the end of his too-short life. A graduate of the Northampton Public Schools, Jerry was passionate about NEF’s mission to enhance the educational experience of the city’s public school students. He had a profound appreciation of the importance of public schools as community institutions.
He was involved in almost all aspects of NEF, from fundraising work with fellow Northampton High School alumni to his assiduous attention to the details of our financial practices as we grew over the years into an organization that now includes Small Grants for Teachers, Endowment Fund grants, and the SOS Book Fund. His thoughtful presence at board meetings will be sorely missed by all of us.
And finally, anyone who ever attended the NEF Adult Spelling Bee will miss his friendly, smiling face as he greeted people at the door; this year’s Spelling Bee will be dedicated to Jerry.
Mandy Gerry
Board Co-President Northampton Education Foundation