Former Blue Water area teacher, Barbara Donovan, has left a $1.6 million endowment to the Community Foundation of St. Clair County and St. Clair County Community College (SC4). Ms. Donovan passed away in May of 2019 at the age of 90. She left her entire estate to the Foundation and the College. The Community Foundation will disperse half of the funds to the People’s Clinic for Better Health, according to a press release from the Foundation.
The People’s Clinic exists to provide medical care to underserved residents of St. Clair County. Chandra Gruber, Director of the Lake Huron Foundation that oversees the operation of the People’s Clinic said, “This generous gift will help with the sustainability of the clinic so that it can be running for another 30 years.”
The rest of the money is intended for two scholarships for students at St. Clair County Community College. Donovan had been an instructor at both Port Huron High School and Port Huron Business College. She was known as a lifelong learner, taking continuing education classes for nearly thirty years after her retirement, right up until her final months. She had planned this legacy gift with her attorney, and according to Jackie Hanton, Community Foundation Vice President, “patients at the People’s Clinic and students at SC4 will benefit from the gift that keeps on giving because of Barbara’s philanthropic foresight and planning.”
Reporting for WGRT, Karly Hurley.
