South Coast
Former Student Athlete Establishes Fund for Long-Lasting Impact
Mary Paczesniak, Donor
Mary Paczesniak was an accomplished student-athlete in the days before Title IX prohibited sex discrimination in athletics programs at federally funded schools. After graduating from Oregon State University, she spent 28 years as a physical education teacher at Rogue River Middle School.
Upon retiring in 2003, she returned home to Coos Bay and began volunteering on the Marshfield High School Athletic Hall of Fame committee, where she led the effort to honor pre-Title IX female athletes by awarding them their Marshfield varsity letters in a special ceremony. More recently, she celebrated one of her proudest achievements: Marshfield High School’s Heritage Hall, dedicated to the history of Coos Bay’s high school. “Not every school has something like this!” she says proudly.
Although Paczesniak loves volunteering, she wanted to make a longer-lasting impact. Over the last three years, she has worked to establish The Paczesniak Family Fund, an OCF donor-advised fund created through step-up contributions.
“Everybody knows where my heart is. My passion is education and this community. I love the Coos Bay community. So when I was talking to OCF about giving, I wanted it to go to the Coos Bay Schools Community Foundation.”
Mary Paczesniak
Paczesniak appreciates donor-advised funds because they have the agility to follow the evolving needs of her community. “Everybody knows where my heart is,” says Paczesniak. She trusts that through OCF, her fund will always follow the directions of her heart.
The Paczesniak Family Fund is a permanent donor-advised fund that awards annual grants to the Coos Bay Schools Community Foundation. The 2017 award provided swim parkas for the Marshfield swim team, which practices in an outdoor pool.