Southeastern Illinois Community Foundation recently honored the late Larry D. Short as the recipient of the 2017 Richard C. Siemer Outstanding Philanthropist Award during the Jasper County Hometown Event program in November. “During his lifetime, Mr. Short truly embodied what it means to give where you live as a local philanthropist,” explains Joedy Hightower, President/CEO of Southeastern Illinois Community Foundation. Philanthropy is often regarded as a large gift of money from someone with great wealth. Southeastern Illinois Community Foundation believes that philanthropy is, simply stated, “the love of mankind” and recognizes that any individual can be a philanthropist by annually naming its Outstanding Philanthropist Award recipient.
Larry D. Short passed away in 2011 but left a legacy of giving through a designated fund with the Community Foundation, established in his honor by his wife, Lora. The Larry D. Short and Lora C. Short Fund supports youth and athletic programs in Jasper County and is just one example of Larry’s generosity. In his lifetime, Larry’s approach to philanthropy was simple: he wanted to help others any way he could. Sometimes it meant paying more than the total at a fundraising supper, sometimes it meant giving away the bounty of his garden, and sometimes it meant giving his free time to help his fellow farmers with their harvests. He never wanted to be recognized for his charitable contributions and there are many things he did in his life that he did not consider charity. He just wanted to help others.
