Gerri Smith’s Love of North East

Iva Geraldine “Gerri” Smith was a founding member of the North East Community Foundation and our most avid supporter. For 55 years, Gerri dedicated her time and talents to North East, leaving so many nonprofits, community groups and people for the better.

Gerri was active in the North East Community, serving as a member of the tourism division and the board of directors of the North East Area Chamber of Commerce. She also served on the committee for Wine Country USA and as a member of the North East Community Fair Board of Directors. Gerri was one of the producers of “150 Years of Fashion Plus,” the story of North East’s history and fashion. In 1988 she was honored by the North East Exchange Club “The Book of Golden Deeds” award.

During the 1990s, Gerri served on the North East Community Foundation’s Board of Directors and the advisory board and dean’s council of Mercyhurst North East College. In 2000, she received awards from the North East Area Chamber of Commerce and Mercyhurst North East College for her many volunteer hours.

Today, Gerri’s love for the community lives on through the Geraldine Smith Fund. Gerri created the fund before her death and chose to make it unrestricted, giving the Foundation the flexibility to allocate the funds to address current needs. This decision and fund are a testament to her vision of making the North East Community Foundation an organization that can make a difference in the lives of our residents.