By Connie Adair
Ross Cooper is working to make his community better now and in the future.
Cooper, who has been a real estate agent since 1993, is president of the Powell River Community Foundation in Powell River, B.C., which was set up in 2001 by his late father, Graeme, and former Ontario politician Charlie Tatham. Its goal is to build a legacy fund, with interest from donations benefitting non-profit organizations now and the principal remaining untouched as a source of interest to be used in the future.
Since its inception, the foundation has given out 80 grants to a wide cross-section of non-profit organizations, including the Powell River Therapeutic Riding Society, the historical society, a seniors’ home and an academy of music.
The foundation’s total funds of $830,000 are currently enjoying an 8.6-per-cent return.
Although Cooper worked as a banker for more than a decade, the healthy returns are the result of the Powell River Community Foundation mirroring what Vancouver Foundation does in terms of trading policies, he says.
However, “hard work makes luck,” he says. The foundation recently received large donations from two Powell River donors – the late Gwen Locke and an anonymous donor. He attributes those donations to the hard work of the foundation’s 11 board members.
The foundation’s next goal: to reach $3-million by Dec. 31, 2015. The goal was set by the board and is realistic, he says. The community of 20,000 values volunteerism and comes together when the need arises. Powell River recently raised $1-milion for a CAT scan machine. “I’m proud of that,” says Cooper.
A background in real estate and its many required skills (thinking outside the box, perseverance, being goal oriented, being organized and having the ability to develop personal relationships, for example) are invaluable to his foundation work, he says.
Cooper was a banker for 13 years, working in the lending department, but you know you’re cut out for real estate when you go to the library and read the Real Estate Act even though you’re in another line of work. Cooper had friends and customers who were agents and also visited real estate offices regularly to do presentations about mortgages. “I was intrigued with the real estate business since I first started banking,” he says.
Banking had him moving to different communities throughout British Columbia, but he fell in love with Powell River and things changed. His kids needed security and with a family background (his grandfather was a mill manager in Powell River in the late 1940s) he quit banking and made a “quality of life” move.
Sitting in his corner office and looking out at the islands, he says it was the right move. “There are incredible views. It’s nice and sunny, safe and secure.”
Selling real estate is a mixed bag. “I could be selling a $12,000 mobile home in the morning and a $600,000 commercial property by the end of the day. It’s the diversification that makes it fun.”
Cooper has served as president of the real estate board and is now vice-president. He has also been president of the local Rotary Club. He has been involved with the foundation since its inception, helping out with the marketing side.
The foundation is busy reviewing grant applications for the $8,000 available this granting period and is working on a fundraising event to be held in September. The website and marketing materials are being redesigned to increase awareness about the foundation in the community.
The foundation has big plans and its motto, For Good Forever, sums it up.
For more information, visit www.prcommunityfoundation.com
