Mayor Baker endowment created

The Fort Smith Area Community Foundation, a local office of the Arkansas Community Foundation, has announced a new endowment fund established by the local board to memorialize former Mayor C. Ray Baker Jr

The Baker family has given their blessing on this fund as a way to keep the spirit of the former Mayor alive and well after his death in March of 2011. According to the foundation board, the fund will benefit those causes and projects that Mayor Baker held near to his heart: education opportunities and projects that improve the quality of life in Fort Smith.

Baker served the community of Fort Smith for 20 years as Mayor, while also teaching American History at Southside High School for more than 40 years. His unforgettable cheer, “Life’s worth living in Fort Smith, Arkansas!” will forever be associated with his passion, enthusiasm, and love of this town; the goal of this fund is to preserve that passion.

Mayor Baker was a member of the Fort Smith Area Community Foundation Board when died; the Board unanimously approved forming this fund in his honor, to benefit the city he loved so dearly.

Board Chairman John Taylor said, “There is no better way to honor Mayor Baker than to put this fund in place and ensure those opportunities to improve the quality of life in Fort Smith receive the support they deserve. He was an educator, a father, a teacher, and Mayor — Ray positively affected the lives of thousands. We hope that this fund will do the same, year after year.”

The FSACF is grateful to the Fort Smith Board of Directors, Mayor Sandy Sanders, and City Administrator Ray Gosack, who have formally endorsed the fund.

The foundation hopes to surpass an initial goal of $10,000 for the fund balance so it will immediately begin accruing dividends from the endowment investment. If individuals, businesses, or organizations would like to contribute to the Ray Baker Endowment Fund, please call Susan Krafft at 479-484-5150 or email [email protected]