by Kristin Kruse
Serving the community of Stevensville has been a driving force for Bob Thomas for decades and the word “community” was the one word that came up over and over when he spoke with the Bitterroot Star. Thomas has served the Stevensville Community Foundation in many different ways over the past 20 years and now, after retiring as a long-standing board member, he reflects on his 20 years of dedication.
Thomas came to Stevensville at the young age of 4, and graduated from Stevensville High School in 1969. After high school he moved to Missoula to attend school and planned on pursuing a career in the construction business. That plan changed and Thomas graduated with a degree in finance from Montana State University in Bozeman in 1977. He began his 40 year long career in finance, working with several banking institutions including First Bank in Missoula, US Bank, Rocky Mountain Bank and Ravalli County Bank.
The Stevensville Community Foundation was established in 1994 and Thomas jumped on board in 2004, and has held the position of treasurer, and board president.
“I am really proud to have worked on the board with so many wonderful people,” said Thomas. “What appealed to me about the foundation is that I like and believe in philanthropy.”
The foundation holds places on the board for high school students, which Thomas believes is really great for young people. “They are able to see the process, and learn why it’s so important to give back.”
Giving back to the community is accomplished by the tireless work of many individuals. In the early days of the foundation Thomas said that Jan Perin, Pat Powell and Cheryl Baldwin worked their tails off organizing the Festival of Trees and were incredibly generous with their time and skills. Funds raised from these events have enabled the foundation to award numerous grants to projects that specifically address local needs. Some familiar projects that have benefitted from these grants are the walkway to the river, the splash pad and the playground at Lewis and Clark Park, and improvements at the local swimming pool, to name a few.
Grants are awarded twice a year, in the spring and the fall, and are reviewed by the board who decides what project will best serve the community. Early fundraising also allowed the purchase of property, with the intent of building a community center. Thomas refers to this project as “The Dream.” A collective space for everyone, with room for large events. The community center has been in the works for 20 years, according to Thomas.
“If there was ever a project destined for stops, this is it,” said Thomas. Due to various reasons and roadblocks, such as inflation and traffic problems which then become resident problems, the progress of this project has once again been halted. Thomas said, “My only regret is that I couldn’t get it done. I am positive this will happen, but its success depends on new members with fresh ideas and new skill sets. Time does interesting things.”
JoyceAnne Jodsaas, another longtime board member, talked about her experience serving on the board with Thomas. “Bob comes from a large local family and he and his brother have always been involved in serving the community with a strong desire to make things better for all who call Stevensville home,” said Jodsaas. “We would love to see the community center get built and hope to find a location with the ability to expand and grow along with the community.”
Especially meaningful to Thomas was the opportunity to work with so many super people. “These are the doers, the pillars of the community, the people who get things done,” said Thomas. He gave special thanks to Steve Peckinpaugh, Rob Carnes, Chad Smith, Cody Velin, JoyceAnne Jodsaas, Tim Unger, Sandy Bollom, Lee Starck and Laurie Pelham. “Their work has been invaluable,” said Thomas.
When asked what he plans on doing with his free time, Thomas expressed that he has two young grandchildren and that is what his life is all about now. Happy retirement, Bob!
To recognize Thomas’ service, the foundation board of directors is asking people to make a donation in his honor. Donations can be sent to: Stevensville Community Foundation, PO Box 413, Stevensville MT 59870.