“We believe we have a Christian obligation to give to others,” said Joe Carruth, a retired physician from Dublin.  “So my wife, Camille, and I decided to look into establishing a charitable fund. When we learned about the Community Foundation, we realized that we could set up a way for our fund to be ongoing and have a long lasting effect.”  The Community Foundation helps the Carruths achieve their philanthropic goals. Because CFCG is able to accept gifts other than cash, the Carruths made a gift of life insurance and other assets to endow their fund.

The Carruths’ philanthropic priorities include education and Christian missions.  They both sing in their church choir where Camille was organist for many years. Camille’s love of music, particularly the organ, stems from her training as a student at Agnes Scott College. So Camille and Joe award a scholarship annually to a music student studying at Camille’s alma mater. They also help to fund a mission of Campus Crusade for Christ at Kennesaw State University.

Camille believes that the most recent grant from their fund not only highlights history but also fosters good community relations.  This grant of $5,000 completed a “5 for 5 challenge” issued to community leaders to raise $25,000 to fund the final phase of the Martin Luther King Monument Park in Dublin, the Carruths’ home town. The park is across from First African Baptist Church, where, as a boy of 15 years, King gave his first public speech and won an oratorical contest. The first phase of the monument park has painted murals and a sculpture created by Georgia artists and a display of historical photographs and documents, including a copy of King’s essay. The next phase will include an audio-visual tour with recorded oral histories and a podium sculpture on the grounds of the church.

“We could have made a donation to the Monument from personal funds. However, we wanted our gift to give awareness to the Community Foundation,” said Dr. Carruth. A donor advised fund at the Community Foundation is an easy way for Dr. and Mrs. Carruth to support local projects, their alma maters, and causes about which they are passionate.