From left : Rick Rother, Laura Rother, Becky Gilstrap, James Whitley
The founders of this community had a vision to connect members with arts, education and outreach. The outreach began in 2006, with gifts totaling $7,500. In 2009, The Foundation was created so those gifts could be tax-deductible. Two decades on from that first $7,500, this community has given more than $3.3 million to non-profits across Pickens County. James Whitley, a member since 2010, knows some of the original founders and is careful about speaking for them. His perspective is that they saw a place worth building well, and understood that building it carried an obligation to the county around it.
I think the charitable heart in them continues to grow” “And I think people here, by and large, realize that they’ve been tremendously blessed in their life. And I think upon arriving here and spending time here, that sentiment grows. And with it, You can see a house in an afternoon. The people around you take longer. Somewhere along the way, The Foundation became more than one of the reasons the Rothers chose the Reserve. It became part of the life they built there, and part of how they came to know the place beyond the gates. “
BY THE NUMBERS 2006
$3.3M+ Total giving since.
$453,000
Charitable grants began.
Awarded grants in 2025.
$50K+
$500K
Scholarships awarded in 2026.
Raised at An Evening of Impact.
FALL 2026
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