In Honor of our Mothers

Frederick County Gives column published in FNP – May 9, 2022

Mother’s Day was yesterday, May 8. Women across Frederick County enjoyed breakfast in bed or brunch at a local restaurant and were adorned with handmade crafts, cards, flowers and meaningful trinkets from doting children and spouses. While it’s only one day a year, it’s important to recognize the love and work and dedication that comes with being a mother.

The Community Foundation has been helping people honor mothers for decades. We work with donors who want to honor and remember their loved one in a way that positively impacts the broader community.

John D. Hendrickson II and his wife, Elizabeth, created The Mary Mason Hendrickson Memorial Fund in honor of his mother, who was active in the Frederick community until her passing in 1981. She served on the Altar Guild of All Saints’ Episcopal Church and volunteered as a board member of Federated Charities, Episcopal Orphan House and the Home for the Aged (Record Street Home). She was a charter member of The Garden Club of Frederick and according to her family, her primary love was always the welfare and progress of her three sons and grandchildren. In keeping with Mrs. Hendrickson’s love for children, this fund supports children’s programs in Frederick County.

Since its creation in 1998, the fund has infused almost $150,000 into the community, most recently providing grants to Heartly House, Frederick Health Hospice, Delaplaine Arts Center, Frederick County Public Libraries, Blessings in a Backpack, Mental Health Association, and the Frederick Police Athletic League.

Kathy J. Meagher spent 20 years sharing her gift as an English teacher at Maryland School for the Deaf before she passed away in 2009 following a long battle with cancer. Kathy’s husband, Rick, and their three children, Kathryn, Emily and Matthew created the Kathy J. Meagher Memorial Scholarship Fund in her honor. The fund, which has distributed more than $32,000, provides scholarships to area students affected by cancer.

“We were fortunate that my wife’s passing didn’t really impact my children’s higher education, but I could certainly see how it could affect other families,” Rick Meagher said. “One of the benefits of the fund is that we can help families that have been impacted by cancer. Reading the scholarship applications is a highlight of the year for us.” 

In 2019, Avadna Seward Coghill’s children created a scholarship fund to honor her years of leadership with the Girl Scouts. The Avadna Seward Coghill Scholarship Fund will help future Girl Scout leaders achieve their educational goals for generations to come. The fund disbursed its first scholarship in 2021.

There are many more funds at the Community Foundation that were started in honor of mothers – it’s a beautiful way to create a lasting legacy that continues to impact lives year after year. It’s an honor to play a role in remembering these women.