Spring 2011 - Retirement Housing Foundation

Charitable Giving
“. . . It’s An Honor To Serve Others”
Making their home in Charlottesville, Virginia, long-time RHF
volunteers and donors, Ray and Caroline East have served the
Retirement Housing Foundation since 1995.
As RHF celebrates its 50th anniversary, we also celebrate
those who have helped us along the way through their time
and support.
“Sometimes our decisions are life-changing and my joining
the RHF Board after being approached by Sally Wright was
truly one of those decisions. I knew Sally Wright, the RHF
director of communications from having worked on a book
as a photographer for the Disciples of Christ which
told the story of the denomination and many of its African
American churches. She was a former newspaper
reporter, and we used to talk about covering the news.
She had suggested that it was time for the RHF board
to consider adding a person with television media
knowledge, and I was the one she approached and ask
if I might be interested. What a tremendous honor it
is, to be able to serve others,” says Ray, an RHF Board
Member.
Currently, serving as Chair of the board’s Charitable
Giving committee, Ray worked for NBC for 36 years
mostly in the Washington DC area, as the Art Director
and artist/photographer. He did court room sketching for several
years, including some of the Watergate Trials (he was in the court
room as the only artist the morning the burglars were arraigned).
He won an Emmy for his work in television before retiring in 1999.
Ray, whose nickname is “Corky”, enjoys tennis and photography,
which he stills does commercially. With great pride, he personally
photographs many of our communities, providing images for our
publications and corporate offices.
“RHF affords us the opportunity to reach those who really need affordable
housing and actually make a home for them,” says Caroline.
As an RHF Advisory Commission member, she represents RHF
at community events across the country and advocates on a number
of issues affecting seniors and affordable housing. Caroline worked
as a teacher and guidance counselor for 27 years and recently
retired in June 2010. She enjoys volunteering for the
African-American Teaching Fellows in Charlottesville, as
well as antiquing in her spare time.
In addition to RHF, the East’s community service extends to
a number other non-profit boards in the Charlottesville area.
Ray served on the JAUNT board for about 10 years. JAUNT
provides special needs transportation for the city of Charlottesville
and four other counties in Central Virginia. He also
is finishing up 6 years of service on Charlottesville’s Senior
Center board.
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