May 14, 2024 • 14 mins
Today, we talked with Dennis Mullin, an Impact Cornerstone Award recipient at the Community Foundation Awards. This award recognizes those who had a strong impact in making GMCF successful. During our discussion, we delved into Dennis's professional life, his mentoring of college students, starting the Flint Hills Breadbasket, founding the Flint Hills Christian School, and his involvement with the Greater Manhattan Community Foundation.
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Episode Transcript
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Speaker 1 (00:00):
Welcome to Philanthropy Today.
We are excited to shareinformation on ways you can
support the charitable causes ofyour choice.
My name is Vern Hendricks and Ilook forward to being with you
today on our GMCF PhilanthropyToday podcast series.
We're here today again with ourcornerstone series of
interviewees and we're enjoyingthe opportunity to visit with
Dennis Mullen today.
(00:20):
Dennis, good to have you heretoday.
Thank you, vern, it's good tobe here.
So I've got a series ofquestions to ask you, and you've
been involved with theCommunity Foundation a long time
.
But before we get into that,could you share with the
audience what your professionalrole has been in the community?
Speaker 2 (00:35):
My professional role is with Steel and Pipe Supply
Company, now a holding companySPS companies, and they're 52
years, so I have a variety ofroles in that organization.
Speaker 1 (00:44):
Well and I think that's great You've been a
leader in Manhattan communityfor a long time.
Certainly was around when thediscussions of the Community
Foundation first got started, soit's been great to have you as
a trustee, as a board member anda board chair during that whole
process.
So what do you feel the biggestimpact that's been on your life
today that has brought you tothe world of philanthropy that
(01:06):
you've been in?
Speaker 2 (01:07):
Well, I often had the philosophy, probably since
college age, that if you givelove away, it comes back to you.
And I look at charity the sameway Gifting the skills that I
have, as little as they may be,and sharing them in charity.
I get more out of that thanprobably charity itself.
Speaker 1 (01:25):
Who gave you that inspiration to feel that way?
Speaker 2 (01:28):
I can't honestly say it was a person.
It's more of an experience.
As I look back, probably mycollege years were probably the
most impactful in my life.
Those were the years thatallowed me to form who I was and
what I believed, and to try tomodel my life after those things
instead of trying to chase them.
Speaker 1 (01:48):
Sure, Absolutely so.
So what do you like to do inyour personal time when you're
not in your professional role oryour charitable role?
Speaker 2 (01:57):
A variety of things Me with family, number one and
number two probablyentertainment.
I really have enjoyed pickingup mentoring opportunities,
particularly with younger peoplethat are mostly in that college
age Right that are doing thesame things I did and struggling
in college, trying to figurelife out and trying to do it.
I don't want to guide them, Ijust want to be there to answer
(02:17):
questions and help and workthrough issues and ideas.
Speaker 1 (02:22):
Well, you've been helping people all your life and
been involved with education,and I think it would be
important to say, too, that youspent a few years on the Kansas
Board of Regents as well.
So how did that experienceshape your life?
Speaker 2 (02:34):
I can't say it shaped my life, but I totally enjoyed
it.
I'm more than honest in sayingI was a little worried about
going onto the board.
I'm not very good at going onboards where I don't feel like I
can add a value and I wasafraid it'd be a clinical
appointment that, basically,would be much more of a show up
smile than actually having anopportunity to make an impact.
(02:56):
And I found quite the opposite.
I found that it was veryrewarding in the sense of having
an impact in higher education,hopefully having an impact in
people's lives, hopefully havingan impact on people's lives,
hopefully having an impact onthe community and the state.
Speaker 1 (03:11):
When did you become involved in charity and what was
the cause that you first becameinvolved with?
Speaker 2 (03:18):
I mean, the very first one I came totally
involved with was, you know,three people came to me with the
idea, the concept, and justdidn't know what to do with it.
They asked me as a businessmanif I had any ideas and, to my
surprise probably more to theirsurprise too yeah I thought I
could crystallize their thoughtprocess into action, and
(03:39):
watching that process hasprobably been a springboard for
me.
I'm probably not the bestperson to long-term on any board
and I love getting thingsstarted and heading in the right
direction.
Speaker 1 (03:53):
To follow up on that a little bit.
What challenges did you havesetting up that charity from the
beginning and who did you reachout to in the beginning to make
that happen?
Speaker 2 (04:01):
Well, the challenges were great.
You know simple things in life.
You know, as they illustrate itto me, they'd go past Dillon's
and look at their trashcontainers and they see all
these dead cans of vegetablesand food that they had to throw
away because they were in it.
Nothing wrong with them otherthan the debt.
And you know, I had people onthe opposite side in our
community who were hungry, nothaving food.
(04:23):
Why can't we put those together?
That sounds simple, you know.
My response was why can't we?
And I found out that there's alot of legal issues to that.
Dillons were always afraid ofbeing sued if something would
happen.
One was punctured, Somethingwent into that.
So we had to go to thelegislature.
We had to get changes in thelaw allowing charities, or
actually the donors, to berelieved of some risk when
(04:46):
they're trying to do the rightthing.
And, focused on the right thing, we went to the city.
The city was gracious enough togive us a shed that probably
would have been torn down byanybody, any other person in the
world.
That wasn't used, which was ourfirst house.
So it took a lot ofcollaboration from a lot of
different directions.
Speaker 1 (05:04):
Excellent.
Well, you've always been thekind of person that could bring
people together in the communityfor decisions that way, and
we're all grateful for that,certainly I do.
Is there a certain charitabledecision, either personally,
from a gift that you've made ora board that you've been on,
that's had a big impact in yourlife and made a difference in
your life?
Speaker 2 (05:22):
Certainly probably the biggest one is Flint Hills
Christian School.
Starting that school has beennot only rewarding in a
charitable sense but in lifeexperience.
School has had an effect on ourfamily in general.
It has certainly molded ourfuture and it's been just great
(05:42):
asset.
Speaker 1 (05:43):
Yeah, that's something that's certainly a
bright spot in the community andcertainly in the COVID days the
Christian school had a veryimportant part.
Grateful for that and yourvision on that.
When did you first learn aboutthe Greater Manhattan Community
Foundation and what was yourrole then?
Speaker 2 (05:58):
Kind of like a child.
You learn as a child.
When you find out you'repregnant, it isn't the delivery
that you really learn.
You learn initially, and that'sreally what happened to the
Greater Community Foundation.
Several people are talkingabout filling a need that we had
in this community and that wasthe birth of the Greater
Community Foundation.
We weren't called that at thetime.
Speaker 1 (06:19):
Right.
Speaker 2 (06:20):
But that's from inception.
We kicked around the corporatelevel.
You know how we could help andwhat we could do to try to birth
that idea from the very, very,very very beginning, yeah, and
it's the whole organization.
Speaker 1 (06:33):
We've interviewed other individuals that were
awardees of the CornerstoneAward, that were part of the
organization.
It's a testament to the cultureat Steel and Pipe Supply
Company, and hats off to you allfor being involved the way you
were, and I know that wassomething that was important to
Jack too during those times.
What are your thoughts on beinga Cornerstone Awardee?
Speaker 2 (06:53):
honored.
I'm always one that says thatit isn't me, it's a team, and
you know I was fortunate enoughin the time when I was chair.
Is that what it was Right?
You know that I had a greatteam around me and an
opportunity to do some things,not only meaningful in the short
term, but in the long term.
So you know I look at when Iget an award like that that it's
(07:15):
not just about me, it's aboutthe team that really created
that opportunity.
Speaker 1 (07:20):
Well, I'm going to take it a little further here,
because you've been involved inthe early days of the
organization and you were on theboard when a certain individual
in the community was hired in2013.
I had the great honor ofvisiting with you and Neil
Horton and Terry Arthur and JimGordon at that point in time and
I'm very grateful for theopportunity to serve the
(07:40):
Community Foundation that youall gave me and we had a great
discussion and that time waskind of an element of change in
the Community Foundation and Idon't know if there's something
that you can speak to of thethoughts of the board then or
what you were thinkingenvisioning at that point in
time.
Speaker 2 (07:55):
Well, I think that any charitable organization or a
business has to go throughgrowth spouts we had at that
point.
In my opinion, we had grownlegally where we needed to go as
an organization.
What we didn't do is get afooting in the community, and I
thought that's where we reallyneeded to grow.
The next level is to get thecommunity and particularly at
(08:16):
that stage, the not-for-profits,to understand the value a
community foundation could do.
I could see clearly that a lotof not-for-profits would see it
as competition.
People would be giving theirmoney to you instead of their
organization.
So for me and in my vision, itwas how do we bridge that?
How do we make them aware thatthis is not about us?
(08:38):
It's about you, about makingall of our not-for-profits
better in our community, makingour community better, and I
think we did that.
Your hire, I think, wasimportant in that you were
well-connected in the community,well-respected in the community
.
It made just the greatestimpact in what I saw, or vision
at that time.
(08:59):
So it was a great marriage.
Speaker 1 (09:01):
Well, to me it's a kind of a culminating factor of
why you were selected as aCornerstone awardee, because all
the things that we've mentionedhave been with the growth and
development of the impact andimprovement and benefit of the
Community Foundation, and thatis really the founding message
for the Community Foundation tohelp the community.
And when we were talking aboutthe Cornerstone Awards, I mean
(09:23):
that's where we look to thoseindividuals and why your name
certainly came up many times.
So, Dennis, we're certainlyglad to have you.
What advice do you have forothers when they're making a
charitable gift to think about?
Speaker 2 (09:38):
I would say the one word I'd use, that I'd advise,
is flexibility.
I think if you ask me where weare today in the community
foundation, where we want to bein the future, I would say that
our biggest challenge is how doyou convince the general public
the value to them?
I think they see the value tothe charities they want to
(09:59):
support.
You know, certainly with GoGreen right around the corner,
it's really easy to comprehendthat I can multiply my dollars
by giving through the communityfoundation.
I'm not sure that we have beentotally successful in convincing
people of the value and theflexibility this tool gives them
.
In doing it.
(10:20):
My estimation would be to lookmore at the immediate than they
do the future, and what I wantto see is us bridge that and be
able to sell to the people whata great tool this is for their
future desires and to lookbeyond today in that process.
Speaker 1 (10:39):
We honored five individual families with Legacy
Award, and those are greatexamples of exactly what you're
talking about, what thosefamilies did.
What advice would you give your30-year-old self if you could
go back to that point today?
Speaker 2 (10:52):
Probably wouldn't be much different than I was when I
was 30.
That's first to figure yourselfout.
I think that a lot of peopleknow their strengths and
probably don't know theirweaknesses, or at least won't
admit their weaknesses.
It's important to try to figureout what you're weak at as well
as what you're strong at.
Understand that all of us aregiven God-given gifts.
(11:14):
Try to use it and try tomultiply them and try to be true
to them.
Speaker 1 (11:19):
Dennis, we've talked about the first 25 years of the
Community Foundation and yourinvolvement in some of the
things that kind of impactedyour life and impacted the
Community Foundation.
We've touched a little bit onthe future, but as we move
forward in the next 25 years,what are your thoughts?
Where do you think the board,the trustees, should really give
strong consideration forlooking at as to what this
(11:42):
foundation will do in the future?
Speaker 2 (11:43):
Well, I'd be repeating myself, because I
really think the future lies inhow we get our message out to
those donors, and I'm nottalking about the big donors,
I'm talking about the littledonors.
A lot of times you might haveextra money.
You don't know where to give it.
You want to give it but youdon't know where to give it.
I don't think, as a generalcomment, regular population
(12:07):
understands Give that a littlebit of money and put it in a
donor advised fund.
Let that money grow into largemoney so that when the
opportunity comes and need comesfor your community or your
desire, there's money there forit.
And I just don't think thatcommunication has really been
completed.
So that's where I'd focus.
I'd focus on how do we do that.
(12:30):
I'm always amazed at how manypeople pass with large estates
and medium-sized estates, smallestates, and really haven't
planned what to do with theirestate, and I think we can help
them.
I don't mean it to take theirmoney, I mean it to how to use
their money perpetually, thatthey can make an impact beyond
their use, give them theopportunity to see the joy that
(12:52):
others have seen already.
Speaker 1 (12:53):
Yeah well, we've asked you a lot of questions
here.
Is there anything that youwould like to share that we
haven't asked you today at all?
Speaker 2 (13:00):
I guess the only thing I share is the pride I
have.
Yeah, there's often you nurture.
It's not like a child, right?
You know when a child's born,you don't know what it's going
to turn out to be when it's anadult.
It scares you a lot.
You don't know what that'sgoing to be.
The Community Foundation, as Imentioned, you know you're in it
from inception and to watchwhat it has blossomed into, to
(13:21):
watch what impact it's had inthis community, is so
heart-filling.
You know I appreciate it.
I appreciate what you've done.
I appreciate what the CommunityFoundation's done.
Speaker 1 (13:32):
Well, there's a lot of growth opportunities at the
Community Foundation and a lotof differences that can be made,
and I would simply share mysincere thanks and appreciation
for what you've done and helpingcreate this, helping mold it,
helping get it to where we aretoday, and I want to
congratulate you again onreceiving the Cornerstone Award
and thank you for being herewith us today.
So this concludes our interviewwith Dennis Mullen today, who's
(13:54):
one of our Cornerstone awardees, and we'd like to ask you to
tune in and listen to the othersand thank you for being with us
here today.
Speaker 2 (14:02):
Thank you, man.
Speaker 1 (14:02):
Appreciate it.
Thank you for joining us todaywhere we look inside the Greater
Manhattan Community Foundation.
You can always learn more aboutGMCF at our website, mcfksorg.
We invite you to subscribe toPhilanthropy Today, wherever you
get your podcast.
I am Vern Henricks and haveenjoyed hosting our Cornerstone
Award Series in the Ad AstraCast Studios here in downtown
(14:25):
Manhattan, kansas.
Welcome to Philanthropy Today.
We are excited to shareinformation on ways you can
support the charitable causes ofyour choice.
My name is Vern Hendricks and Ilook forward to being with you
today on our GMCF PhilanthropyToday podcast series.
We're here today again with ourcornerstone series of
interviewees and we're enjoyingthe opportunity to visit with
Dennis Mullen today.
(00:20):
Dennis, good to have you heretoday.
Thank you, vern, it's good tobe here.
So I've got a series ofquestions to ask you, and you've
been involved with theCommunity Foundation a long time
.
But before we get into that,could you share with the
audience what your professionalrole has been in the community?
Speaker 2 (00:35):
My professional role is with Steel and Pipe Supply
Company, now a holding companySPS companies, and they're 52
years, so I have a variety ofroles in that organization.
Speaker 1 (00:44):
Well and I think that's great You've been a
leader in Manhattan communityfor a long time.
Certainly was around when thediscussions of the Community
Foundation first got started, soit's been great to have you as
a trustee, as a board member anda board chair during that whole
process.
So what do you feel the biggestimpact that's been on your life
today that has brought you tothe world of philanthropy that
(01:06):
you've been in?
Speaker 2 (01:07):
Well, I often had the philosophy, probably since
college age, that if you givelove away, it comes back to you.
And I look at charity the sameway Gifting the skills that I
have, as little as they may be,and sharing them in charity.
I get more out of that thanprobably charity itself.
Speaker 1 (01:25):
Who gave you that inspiration to feel that way?
Speaker 2 (01:28):
I can't honestly say it was a person.
It's more of an experience.
As I look back, probably mycollege years were probably the
most impactful in my life.
Those were the years thatallowed me to form who I was and
what I believed, and to try tomodel my life after those things
instead of trying to chase them.
Speaker 1 (01:48):
Sure, Absolutely so.
So what do you like to do inyour personal time when you're
not in your professional role oryour charitable role?
Speaker 2 (01:57):
A variety of things Me with family, number one and
number two probablyentertainment.
I really have enjoyed pickingup mentoring opportunities,
particularly with younger peoplethat are mostly in that college
age Right that are doing thesame things I did and struggling
in college, trying to figurelife out and trying to do it.
I don't want to guide them, Ijust want to be there to answer
(02:17):
questions and help and workthrough issues and ideas.
Speaker 1 (02:22):
Well, you've been helping people all your life and
been involved with education,and I think it would be
important to say, too, that youspent a few years on the Kansas
Board of Regents as well.
So how did that experienceshape your life?
Speaker 2 (02:34):
I can't say it shaped my life, but I totally enjoyed
it.
I'm more than honest in sayingI was a little worried about
going onto the board.
I'm not very good at going onboards where I don't feel like I
can add a value and I wasafraid it'd be a clinical
appointment that, basically,would be much more of a show up
smile than actually having anopportunity to make an impact.
(02:56):
And I found quite the opposite.
I found that it was veryrewarding in the sense of having
an impact in higher education,hopefully having an impact in
people's lives, hopefully havingan impact on people's lives,
hopefully having an impact onthe community and the state.
Speaker 1 (03:11):
When did you become involved in charity and what was
the cause that you first becameinvolved with?
Speaker 2 (03:18):
I mean, the very first one I came totally
involved with was, you know,three people came to me with the
idea, the concept, and justdidn't know what to do with it.
They asked me as a businessmanif I had any ideas and, to my
surprise probably more to theirsurprise too yeah I thought I
could crystallize their thoughtprocess into action, and
(03:39):
watching that process hasprobably been a springboard for
me.
I'm probably not the bestperson to long-term on any board
and I love getting thingsstarted and heading in the right
direction.
Speaker 1 (03:53):
To follow up on that a little bit.
What challenges did you havesetting up that charity from the
beginning and who did you reachout to in the beginning to make
that happen?
Speaker 2 (04:01):
Well, the challenges were great.
You know simple things in life.
You know, as they illustrate itto me, they'd go past Dillon's
and look at their trashcontainers and they see all
these dead cans of vegetablesand food that they had to throw
away because they were in it.
Nothing wrong with them otherthan the debt.
And you know, I had people onthe opposite side in our
community who were hungry, nothaving food.
(04:23):
Why can't we put those together?
That sounds simple, you know.
My response was why can't we?
And I found out that there's alot of legal issues to that.
Dillons were always afraid ofbeing sued if something would
happen.
One was punctured, Somethingwent into that.
So we had to go to thelegislature.
We had to get changes in thelaw allowing charities, or
actually the donors, to berelieved of some risk when
(04:46):
they're trying to do the rightthing.
And, focused on the right thing, we went to the city.
The city was gracious enough togive us a shed that probably
would have been torn down byanybody, any other person in the
world.
That wasn't used, which was ourfirst house.
So it took a lot ofcollaboration from a lot of
different directions.
Speaker 1 (05:04):
Excellent.
Well, you've always been thekind of person that could bring
people together in the communityfor decisions that way, and
we're all grateful for that,certainly I do.
Is there a certain charitabledecision, either personally,
from a gift that you've made ora board that you've been on,
that's had a big impact in yourlife and made a difference in
your life?
Speaker 2 (05:22):
Certainly probably the biggest one is Flint Hills
Christian School.
Starting that school has beennot only rewarding in a
charitable sense but in lifeexperience.
School has had an effect on ourfamily in general.
It has certainly molded ourfuture and it's been just great
(05:42):
asset.
Speaker 1 (05:43):
Yeah, that's something that's certainly a
bright spot in the community andcertainly in the COVID days the
Christian school had a veryimportant part.
Grateful for that and yourvision on that.
When did you first learn aboutthe Greater Manhattan Community
Foundation and what was yourrole then?
Speaker 2 (05:58):
Kind of like a child.
You learn as a child.
When you find out you'repregnant, it isn't the delivery
that you really learn.
You learn initially, and that'sreally what happened to the
Greater Community Foundation.
Several people are talkingabout filling a need that we had
in this community and that wasthe birth of the Greater
Community Foundation.
We weren't called that at thetime.
Speaker 1 (06:19):
Right.
Speaker 2 (06:20):
But that's from inception.
We kicked around the corporatelevel.
You know how we could help andwhat we could do to try to birth
that idea from the very, very,very very beginning, yeah, and
it's the whole organization.
Speaker 1 (06:33):
We've interviewed other individuals that were
awardees of the CornerstoneAward, that were part of the
organization.
It's a testament to the cultureat Steel and Pipe Supply
Company, and hats off to you allfor being involved the way you
were, and I know that wassomething that was important to
Jack too during those times.
What are your thoughts on beinga Cornerstone Awardee?
Speaker 2 (06:53):
honored.
I'm always one that says thatit isn't me, it's a team, and
you know I was fortunate enoughin the time when I was chair.
Is that what it was Right?
You know that I had a greatteam around me and an
opportunity to do some things,not only meaningful in the short
term, but in the long term.
So you know I look at when Iget an award like that that it's
(07:15):
not just about me, it's aboutthe team that really created
that opportunity.
Speaker 1 (07:20):
Well, I'm going to take it a little further here,
because you've been involved inthe early days of the
organization and you were on theboard when a certain individual
in the community was hired in2013.
I had the great honor ofvisiting with you and Neil
Horton and Terry Arthur and JimGordon at that point in time and
I'm very grateful for theopportunity to serve the
(07:40):
Community Foundation that youall gave me and we had a great
discussion and that time waskind of an element of change in
the Community Foundation and Idon't know if there's something
that you can speak to of thethoughts of the board then or
what you were thinkingenvisioning at that point in
time.
Speaker 2 (07:55):
Well, I think that any charitable organization or a
business has to go throughgrowth spouts we had at that
point.
In my opinion, we had grownlegally where we needed to go as
an organization.
What we didn't do is get afooting in the community, and I
thought that's where we reallyneeded to grow.
The next level is to get thecommunity and particularly at
(08:16):
that stage, the not-for-profits,to understand the value a
community foundation could do.
I could see clearly that a lotof not-for-profits would see it
as competition.
People would be giving theirmoney to you instead of their
organization.
So for me and in my vision, itwas how do we bridge that?
How do we make them aware thatthis is not about us?
(08:38):
It's about you, about makingall of our not-for-profits
better in our community, makingour community better, and I
think we did that.
Your hire, I think, wasimportant in that you were
well-connected in the community,well-respected in the community
.
It made just the greatestimpact in what I saw, or vision
at that time.
(08:59):
So it was a great marriage.
Speaker 1 (09:01):
Well, to me it's a kind of a culminating factor of
why you were selected as aCornerstone awardee, because all
the things that we've mentionedhave been with the growth and
development of the impact andimprovement and benefit of the
Community Foundation, and thatis really the founding message
for the Community Foundation tohelp the community.
And when we were talking aboutthe Cornerstone Awards, I mean
(09:23):
that's where we look to thoseindividuals and why your name
certainly came up many times.
So, Dennis, we're certainlyglad to have you.
What advice do you have forothers when they're making a
charitable gift to think about?
Speaker 2 (09:38):
I would say the one word I'd use, that I'd advise,
is flexibility.
I think if you ask me where weare today in the community
foundation, where we want to bein the future, I would say that
our biggest challenge is how doyou convince the general public
the value to them?
I think they see the value tothe charities they want to
(09:59):
support.
You know, certainly with GoGreen right around the corner,
it's really easy to comprehendthat I can multiply my dollars
by giving through the communityfoundation.
I'm not sure that we have beentotally successful in convincing
people of the value and theflexibility this tool gives them
.
In doing it.
(10:20):
My estimation would be to lookmore at the immediate than they
do the future, and what I wantto see is us bridge that and be
able to sell to the people whata great tool this is for their
future desires and to lookbeyond today in that process.
Speaker 1 (10:39):
We honored five individual families with Legacy
Award, and those are greatexamples of exactly what you're
talking about, what thosefamilies did.
What advice would you give your30-year-old self if you could
go back to that point today?
Speaker 2 (10:52):
Probably wouldn't be much different than I was when I
was 30.
That's first to figure yourselfout.
I think that a lot of peopleknow their strengths and
probably don't know theirweaknesses, or at least won't
admit their weaknesses.
It's important to try to figureout what you're weak at as well
as what you're strong at.
Understand that all of us aregiven God-given gifts.
(11:14):
Try to use it and try tomultiply them and try to be true
to them.
Speaker 1 (11:19):
Dennis, we've talked about the first 25 years of the
Community Foundation and yourinvolvement in some of the
things that kind of impactedyour life and impacted the
Community Foundation.
We've touched a little bit onthe future, but as we move
forward in the next 25 years,what are your thoughts?
Where do you think the board,the trustees, should really give
strong consideration forlooking at as to what this
(11:42):
foundation will do in the future?
Speaker 2 (11:43):
Well, I'd be repeating myself, because I
really think the future lies inhow we get our message out to
those donors, and I'm nottalking about the big donors,
I'm talking about the littledonors.
A lot of times you might haveextra money.
You don't know where to give it.
You want to give it but youdon't know where to give it.
I don't think, as a generalcomment, regular population
(12:07):
understands Give that a littlebit of money and put it in a
donor advised fund.
Let that money grow into largemoney so that when the
opportunity comes and need comesfor your community or your
desire, there's money there forit.
And I just don't think thatcommunication has really been
completed.
So that's where I'd focus.
I'd focus on how do we do that.
(12:30):
I'm always amazed at how manypeople pass with large estates
and medium-sized estates, smallestates, and really haven't
planned what to do with theirestate, and I think we can help
them.
I don't mean it to take theirmoney, I mean it to how to use
their money perpetually, thatthey can make an impact beyond
their use, give them theopportunity to see the joy that
(12:52):
others have seen already.
Speaker 1 (12:53):
Yeah well, we've asked you a lot of questions
here.
Is there anything that youwould like to share that we
haven't asked you today at all?
Speaker 2 (13:00):
I guess the only thing I share is the pride I
have.
Yeah, there's often you nurture.
It's not like a child, right?
You know when a child's born,you don't know what it's going
to turn out to be when it's anadult.
It scares you a lot.
You don't know what that'sgoing to be.
The Community Foundation, as Imentioned, you know you're in it
from inception and to watchwhat it has blossomed into, to
(13:21):
watch what impact it's had inthis community, is so
heart-filling.
You know I appreciate it.
I appreciate what you've done.
I appreciate what the CommunityFoundation's done.
Speaker 1 (13:32):
Well, there's a lot of growth opportunities at the
Community Foundation and a lotof differences that can be made,
and I would simply share mysincere thanks and appreciation
for what you've done and helpingcreate this, helping mold it,
helping get it to where we aretoday, and I want to
congratulate you again onreceiving the Cornerstone Award
and thank you for being herewith us today.
So this concludes our interviewwith Dennis Mullen today, who's
(13:54):
one of our Cornerstone awardees, and we'd like to ask you to
tune in and listen to the othersand thank you for being with us
here today.
Speaker 2 (14:02):
Thank you, man.
Speaker 1 (14:02):
Appreciate it.
Thank you for joining us todaywhere we look inside the Greater
Manhattan Community Foundation.
You can always learn more aboutGMCF at our website, mcfksorg.
We invite you to subscribe toPhilanthropy Today, wherever you
get your podcast.
I am Vern Henricks and haveenjoyed hosting our Cornerstone
Award Series in the Ad AstraCast Studios here in downtown
(14:25):
Manhattan, kansas.
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