History

History

Big Oak Poppys

Welcome to Woodside Community Foundation

We are a trusted local, non-profit organization that administers permanent and temporary charitable Funds established through gifts and bequests from individuals, families, businesses, and other organizations. With the help of our Fund Liaisons, we make periodic grants to special projects that benefit the citizens of Woodside and surrounds.

With a history rich in Town pride, the Woodside Community Foundation has been devoted to promoting education, recreation and beautification in our community for more than 60 years. We invite you to invest with us as a donor, as a new fund maker, as a volunteer.

Together, we make Woodside even better.

Decades of Giving

For nearly 70 years, the Woodside Community Foundation has been providing individuals, families and businesses with a simple and powerful way to put their charitable donations to work close to home. The history of this organization is rich and filled with good!

The 1950s

  • November 13, 1952—Articles of Incorporation filed
  • 1953—A Fund is established to construct the amphitheater at Woodside Elementary School
  • 1953—The Kevin Haws Fund created
  • 1954—A Fund is established to preserve Independence Hall (Scout Hall) and to support youth activities in the community

The 1960s

  • 1964—$14,000 collected to build tennis courts at Woodside Elementary School
  • 1966—Funds are raised to prepare and purchase the site for the new Woodside Town Library
  • 1966—WCF receives a $54,000 donation from John and Margaret Kiely for the purchase of the Tripp Road School Property (later renamed Kiely Field); the property is deeded to the town of Woodside and used by the Junior Riders, and, later, the Woodside Pony Club
  • 1968—Fund established to support Alpine Little League, the Woodside Junior Riders, and Friends of the Library
  • 1968—Funds allocated to purchase tennis equipment for the new public tennis courts at Woodside Elementary School

The 1970s

  • 1970—Woodside-Atherton Garden Club establishes a Fund to create and maintain a California Native Plant Garden at the newly constructed library. WAGC pays for the garden’s maintenance and in 1995 established its own fund for this garden
  • 1970—The WCF launches its first public appeal for donations via the Country Almanac newspaper
  • 1970—Fund established to support Woodside 4-H Club and the Friends of the Library; Friends of the Library used their proceeds to purchase and install an air conditioning system for the Library
  • 1970—Baldwin Memorial Fund is established to plant a Redwood Grove in the California Native Plant Garden at the library
  • 1970—WCF allocates funds to construct the Mountain Home Road horse trail including a bridge sturdy and safe enough to accommodate horses and cars at the same time
  • 1971—”Ballet Woodside” Fund created to help underwrite the costs of maintaining Scout Hall; these funds were used to upgrade the building’s electrical wiring and install a bathroom
  • 1971—Funds allocated to improve horse trails around Woodside
  • 1971—Funds allocated for new turf at Woodside Elementary School
  • 1971—WCF serves as the fiscal sponsor for the Woodside Elementary School Soccer Field Improvement Project including design, construction and the addition of a sprinkler system
  • 1972—WCF inherits the lease and all monetary maintenance for Scout Hall
  • 1972—Funds allocated to plant the triangular garden in the Town Center in honor of long time Woodside resident, Alexander (Alec) Donald
  • 1973—WCF surrenders the lease of Scout Hall due to lack of interest in the old building
  • 1974—Primary Education Center Fund is established to raise money for the much-needed primary playground at Woodside Elementary School
  • 1974—Funds allocated to Woodside Junior Riders to help buy 12 tons of hay to feed the horses used by the organization
  • 1975—Environmental Education Fund is created to hold and dispense monies raised by Woodside Elementary School students from the Coors Beer Can Drive
  • 1975—WCF establishes a temporary Fund to collect and disperse monies to Woodside Elementary School to prevent the loss of two teachers
  • 1977—Funds are used to support a new Art-in-Action program at Woodside Elementary School
  • 1978—WCF establishes a Fund on behalf of the Woodside Heritage Committee to move Scout Hall to its new location next to the Woodside Elementary School multi-purpose room
  • 1979—WCF allocates funds to support a town litter clean-up
  • 1979—Friends of Guernsey Field Fund established to protect this Stanford-owned property from development

The 1980s

  • 1980—WCF becomes fiscal sponsor for WRITE (Woodside Residents Involved in Tomorrow’s Education), an organization formed by Woodside Elementary School parents; more than $50,000 is raised through WCF for Woodside Elementary School
  • 1980—WCF facilitates the lease of Stanford-owned Geurnsey Field for the Combined Training Alliance (CTA), or CTETA, for the purpose of establishing a facility for the training of cross-country horses and riders
  • 1981—Fund established to build a new par course at Woodside Elementary School
  • 1981—WRITE once again raises more than $50,000 through the WCF to make up the Woodside Elementary School’s budget deficit
  • 1981—WRITE announces its intention to form the new Woodside School Foundation
  • 1982—Heralding the start of the computer age, the Bids for Kids Fund is established and enables the donation of three PET and two Apple computers to Woodside Elementary School
  • 1983—Woodside Children’s Theater Fund is established
  • 1984—Funds collected for the Los Altos Hunt Pony Club
  • 1985—Somers Field Tree Fund established
  • 1988—WCF provides funds to support the Woodside Village Band

The 1990s

  • 1990—Somers Field Tree Fund is renamed the Canada Tree Fund and is utilized to collect and disperse monies to create a green canopy of tall leafy oak trees along Canada Rd between Woodside Rd. and Interstate 280
  • 1996—WCF commits $2500 towards improving Skyline Trail, located above Bear Gulch Trail

The 2000s

  • 2001—WCF General Funds are committed to the Community House Fund
  • 2002—The Trail Fund allocates monies to construct the new bridge over West Union Creek behind Old Why Worry Farm
  • 2002—The Open Space Fund is established in support of Woodside’s Open Space Committee; purpose of the fund is to promote open space in Woodside through education regarding open space easements, Town easements, and the exploration of vehicles to create open space, including the maintenance of such lands
  • 2004—WCF begins to explore the Barkley Field concept
  • 2005—WCF enters into a partnership with the Town of Woodside to build Barkley Field with the goal of raising $3.3 million
  • 2006—The WHOA (Woodside Horse Owners Association) Fund is established for the purpose of preserving Woodside’s equestrian heritage; this includes educating the community and public regarding horse safety and emphasizing the restoration of barns and encouraging the boarding of horses
  • 2006—WCF sponsors Woodside Earth and Art Day
  • 2007—Barkley Field project is completed
  • 2007—Kiely Equestrian Center Fund is established to help maintain the property used by the Junior Riders, Woodside Vaulters, and the Pony Club
  • 2007—WCF sponsors the Woodside EnviroFest
  • 2008—The Barkley Fields Fund raises $1.5 million and the funds are remitted to the Town of Woodside to cover the expense of creating this wonderful Town amenity; an additional $360,000 is sent to the Town after the end of the fiscal year
  • 2008—The Trails Fund receives a $10,000 donation to improve the Center Trail
  • 2008—The Community Museum Fund receives $10,000 donation to cover the costs of creating new exhibits
  • 2008—The Woodside Community Theater receives $50,000 and produces the ever popular “Music Man”
  • 2008—The Kiely Equestrian Center Fund allocates $15,000 to upgrade the arena
  • 2009—The Woodside Community Theater Fund contributes to the production of “Fiddler on the Roof”

The 2010s

  • 2010—Under the leadership of Phyrne Osborne, the Woodside Landscape Committee Fund establishes a sub-fund to raise the money needed to purchase the “Spring and Sprite” horse sculptures
  • 2011—Funds are successfully raised for “Spring and Sprite” and the horse sculptures are permanently installed on Village Hill
  • 2012—The CHAPS (Community Horse Advocacy Program in San Mateo County) Fund is established
  • 2012—The Light the Tree Fund is established to light the Christmas tree and erect the nativity scene at the corner of Woodside and Canada Roads
  • 2012—WCF provides funds for the purchase of “Lucky,” a training model for horse rescues
  • 2012—The Angel Food Fund is established
  • 2014—The LOL (Laugh Out Loud) Fund sponsors a night of comedy at the High School Performing Arts Center to honor Jamis and Margaret MacNiven. The net proceeds are donated to Alzheimer’s Disease Research
  • 2014—Board of Directors engages in a comprehensive organizational overhaul which includes a new website and updated accounting procedures
  • 2017—WCF adds a new fund called Friends of the Woodside Village Church
  • 2017—In response to the devastating North Bay Wildfires, WCF establishes the North Bay Disaster Relief Fund, sending thousands of dollars to assist in the rescue and relief efforts for horses and livestock
  • 2018—In response to the Southern California wildfires, WCF polls donors to the North Bay Disaster Relief Fund and gains permission to send funds to assist with horse and livestock rescue in Southern California
  • 2018—WCF adds a new fund called the Woodside Village Band Fund
  • 2018—WCF launches the Community Grant Project in which three Woodside community members are awarded $5,000 each to execute projects benefitting the charitable interests of the Woodside Community
  • 2018—WCF hosts the first Day of Giving on May 12 to honor and recognize philanthropic efforts in and around the Woodside community
  • 2018—After more than a decade of support from WCF, the Woodside Community Theatre applied for and received its own 501(c)(3) status
  • 2018—At the Day of Giving, long-time WCF Board member Rob Flint is recognized for his extraordinary contributions to the community
  • 2019—WCF serves as fiscal sponsor for the North Cañada Oak Tree Fund enabling the purchase of 14 new Valley Oak trees, the materials and labor required to plant them. Funds are also raised to provide maintenance and pruning for 5 years
  • 2019—WCF assists WHOA! (Woodside-area Horse Owners Association) with their annual Day of the Horse celebration by streamlining their rider registration process

The 2020s

  • 2020—In response to the global COVID-19 pandemic, WCF launches five new funds. Together these funds raise more than $160,000 to assist Woodside-area residents in need of help.
    • Woodside Together 1.0 Fund
    • Woodside Together 2.0 Fund
    • Robert’s of Woodside Employees Fund
    • WES COVID-19 Community Coalition Fund
    • B.O.K. Ranch Equestrian Scholarship Fund
  • 2020—In response to the historic and devastating regional wildfires, WCF re-energizes the Local Disaster Relief Fund to assist with large-animal rescue and relief raising an additional $35,000.
  • 2020—WCF raises funds for the replacement of the Center Trail Bridge in partnership with the Town of Woodside, Woodside Trail Club, Woodside Trail Committee, WHOA! (Woodside-area Horse Owners Association), Mounted Patrol Foundation, Woodside Community Foundation Trail Fund and CHAPS (Community Horse Advocacy Program for San Mateo County).