POMEROY–The Harold and Helen Shepherd Foundation has been granting money for the betterment of community, education and societal enrichment to surrounding area organizations since 1996.

On behalf of the Foundation, Managing Trustee Gary Houser has awarded $350,922.11 to 27 entities in support of various programs, repairs and upgrades, including higher education and exposure to the Arts in 2019.

The Pomeroy School District received $34,247.08 for use in funding State FFA, FBLA, Missoula Children’s Master Gardeners, K-6 Learn, Elementary Art, Advanced Biology, 5th Ave Theatre, K-2 Brain Pop, 1st and 2nd Library, 6th classroom Library, Elementary Library, Jr/Sr Library, Senior Party, and to move signage East end of town.

The County of Garfield received $15,740 benefitting Friends of 911, 4-H Camp, Library, Fairgrounds-soundproofing, circuit board and water shut-off.

The City of Pomeroy received $36,639.86 for pool passes, repairs made to the pool deck and bottom restoration, cemetery mowing and trimming, the library, rose garden, swim team and the City Memorial.

Other recipients include the Friends of the Library of $1000; Jr. Gun Club $2,000; Holy Rosary Backpack Program $1,000; Seeley Theatre for ceiling fans and phase 3 electrical $24,000; Pomeroy Babe Ruth for turf conditioning and signage $9,500; Pomeroy Little League equipment $3,000; Spinners $28,000 for air conditioning and electrical and the Thanksgiving meal; Senior Center for Senior Round Table Meals $12,000; Super Citizens for repairs $9,000; Pomeroy Assist appliances $4,000; Vintage Fire Truck support of $2,5000; Pataha Flour Mill $31,000; Blue Mountain Artisan Guild (BMAG) $6,000; Garfield County Food Bank $12,000 for electrical upgrade and food baskets; Boy Scouts $4,000 for support; Mt. Misery Drifters $3,000 for repairs; Pomeroy Youth Basketball equipment $3,000; Garfield County Hospital District $3,000 for equipment; Walla Walla Symphony $3,000 for getting music students to concert; Washington State University (WSU) received $55,000 for athletics, student scholarships, libraries, College of Medicine and Veterinary Medicine; and Walla Walla Community College (WWCC) funded student scholarships of $30,000.

Since 1996, the Harold and Helen Shepherd Foundation has awarded grants in the amount of $6,000,000, has reached the WSU Loriet funding status for grants in the amount of $1,000,000. In addition, another $1,000,000 was bestowed to the Walla Walla College. Over half of the money given to WSU and WWCC through the years, were primarily Pomeroy benefactors.

Harold and Helen Shepherd established a scholarship fund to assist southeast Washington students in seeking higher education at WSU by covering undergraduate tuition, fees and textbooks. The foundation set up in their name, about 22 years ago, continues the work they started by awarding scholarships to students from Garfield, Asotin, Columbia and Walla Walla counties. It has helped student-athletes, medical-school students, nursing students, as well as the WSU Library with their donations.

Harold Shepherd was born May 16, 1899, in Hillsboro, Ohio. His father was a U.S. Customs inspector, and when Harold was five years old the family moved to Everett, Wash., and later to Seattle. He grew up and attended elementary and high school in Seattle.

He enlisted in the U.S. Army and served in France during World War I. He returned after the war and went to Whitman College in Walla Walla where he majored in economics. He worked on ranches around Walla Walla to earn money to support his way through school.

At Whitman College he met Helen Morris from Pomeroy. Helen was born in 1903 in Pomeroy and her father owned the Bank of Pomeroy and also had farmland in the area. After college, Harold operated a paint store in Seattle and Helen went to law school at the University of Washington. They met again in Seattle and were married. They lived in Seattle for four years, but made frequent visits to Pomeroy because Helen was the only child of her parents who lived there.

Her father encouraged them to move to Pomeroy where Harold took up farming in 1937 on some of his father-in-law’s land and additional land that he and Helen acquired. He farmed for 40 years and both Harold and Helen retired to live in Pomeroy.