Contact:
Kathryn P. Crowder, President & CEO
(434) 845-6500
Gift from the estate of Mary Sue Harner will create a lasting source of support for local charities throughout Central Virginia
LYNCHBURG, Va. —August 19, 2026 The Greater Lynchburg Community Foundation (GLCF) has received a gift of more than $1.5 million from the estate of Mary Sue Harner, establishing a new endowed fund that will provide ongoing support for local charitable organizations.
The Mary Sue Harner Fund will honor Harner’s legacy by creating a permanent source of charitable support for five specific nonprofits serving the Greater Lynchburg community, including scholarship support for local students. Because the fund is endowed, its charitable impact is intended to continue for generations, providing annual support to hardworking students as well as organizations addressing important needs throughout Central Virginia.
“Ms. Harner’s extraordinary generosity is a meaningful investment in the future of our community,” said Kathryn Crowder, President & CEO of the Greater Lynchburg Community Foundation. “A gift of this magnitude demonstrates tremendous faith in the people and organizations working every day to make Central Virginia a stronger and more compassionate place. We are honored to help carry Ms. Harner’s legacy forward.”
Harner was born in Roanoke, Virginia, but lived for many years in Lynchburg where she was the owner of Continental Hobby Shop located on Fort Avenue, across from Fort Hill Shopping Center. Upon retirement, she sold her business and moved to a condo on Siesta Key Beach, Florida. Her favorite activities were welcoming new residents to her condo complex, watching the sunset over the bay and taking friends out to dinner. She passed away at age 92, on August 19, 2025. She is remembered as a beloved friend, daughter, and sister.
Her estate gift reflects the enduring power of philanthropy to connect an individual’s values with the long-term needs of a community. Through the GLCF, endowed funds can provide grants to charitable organizations addressing a broad range of community needs, including hunger and food security, housing, education, health and wellness, support for people with disabilities, animal welfare, historic preservation, the environment and the arts.
The new fund joins 326 funds administered by the Greater Lynchburg Community Foundation, which collectively provide grants and scholarships to nonprofits and students throughout the area.
The Greater Lynchburg Community Foundation serves the City of Lynchburg and the counties of Amherst, Appomattox, Bedford and Campbell. Its mission is to address the community’s greatest challenges through grants and scholarships while helping individuals, families and organizations create charitable legacies.
For more information about the Greater Lynchburg Community Foundation or establishing a charitable fund, visit www.lynchburgfoundation.org or call 434-845-6500.
