A Memorial Gift Kicks Off a Commitment to Community

Although neither was born in the state, Virginia "Ginny" and Jerry Burgess consider themselves true Oregonians, having spent most of their working lives and retirement years in Portland. Alongside their state pride, the married couple of 32 years nourishes a commitment to civic responsibility, a value that Jerry says was deeply ingrained in him by his parents, Hal and Betty.

When Jerry's mother passed away in 2006, he decided to honor that legacy with a memorial gift to Oregon Public Broadcasting (OPB). 

"We both feel that OPB is a very powerful source for general education that doesn't cost the people who watch it anything," Ginny says.

“That’s a sentiment Ginny and Jerry have demonstrated in their community investments throughOPB over the years and into the future,” explains Cheryl Ikemiya,OPB’s Chief Development Officer. 

Jerry and Ginny have been watching OPB programming for decades, while Jerry served as a Professor of Economics and Ginny served as Director of Investor Relations and Assistant Corporate Secretary at Northwest Natural Gas Company, they've been active community volunteers — while keeping up with their favorite OPB shows, including "Art Beat" and "Oregon Field Guide."

Over the past five years, Jerry and Ginny have doubled their annual donation to support Campaign 2022: The Impact Journalism Fund, which is helping to grow OPB's in-depth, regionally focused journalism. Jerry decided to name OPB as a beneficiary of his revocable trust.

"I thought, well, my net worth is not diminishing, and I will not live forever," Jerry recalls. "What am I going to do? I'd like to continue supporting OPB."

For information about how you can support OPB with a future gift, contact Jeri Kasal at 503.293.1941 or jkasal@opb.org to learn about your giving options.