Friday, November 21, 2025
Gordon Springs
14276 Gordon Inn Ln, Purcellville, VA 20132
5:30 p.m. - 10:00 p.m.
Cocktails | Dinner | Celebratory Awards | Auction
*Cocktail attire recommended

Tickets, Tables and Sponsorships Available!

Sponsorship inquiries? Contact Nicole at nicole@communityfoundationlf.org.

In celebration of our mission to grow community giving, we present this year's honorees: Philanthropist of the Year, Changemaker of the Year, and Nonprofit Achievement Award. Each will have the opportunity to establish a $10,000 charitable endowment and recommend its charitable purpose. These funds will be stewarded by the Community Foundation with the generous support of our 2025 Endowment Sponsors.

Philanthropists of the Year | Jim and Rebecca McDermott

​

Jim and Rebecca have enjoyed long, successful careers in investment management and finance. Upon graduating from Georgetown University, Jim began his career in private banking. In 2000 he founded Madison Wealth Management and in 2024 helped guide Madison’s merger into MAI Capital Management. Rebecca graduated from George Mason University, Summa Cum Laude, and worked as a lender to nonprofits and government contractors. Later Rebecca helped build Madison as its first communications strategist. 

Service to others is a cornerstone value for the McDermotts and their business culture. Over the years they’ve actively encouraged and supported team members volunteering, joining boards, and giving of time and talent to local nonprofits. For many years, the firm highlighted local nonprofits each month in their financial e-newsletter. 

Jim served nine years on the board of Loudoun Country Day School, many as treasurer. Currently, Jim serves as president of the Westmoreland Davis Memorial Foundation, which owns and operates Morven Park, chair of Inova Loudoun Hospital Foundation and a trustee of Inova Health Foundation systemwide. Rebecca also served on the hospital’s foundation board where they’ve both helped drive philanthropic efforts to support the hospital’s vital work in our community.

Additionally, Rebecca serves as treasurer for Land Trust of VA which helps to preserve land and natural resources through conservation easements. She previously served on Loudoun’s Historic District Review Committee.

Jim and Rebecca were introduced to giving circles while living in Cincinnati. Rebecca joined the very first chapter of Impact100 which now has over 70 chapters nationwide. Upon returning to Loudoun in 2005, Rebecca joined 100WomenStrong which targets shelter, health, hunger, and education in Loudoun County. In 2014, Rebecca and Jim joined Loudoun Impact Fund focusing on supporting nonprofits assisting at-risk youth and the elderly. Jim and Rebecca embrace the model of pooling resources while working with the Community Foundation and fellow circle members to make more impactful grants to nonprofits.

With this in mind, Jim and Rebecca established the McDermott Family Fund with the Community Foundation in 2020 to build an endowment with a portion of their fund to help ensure a lasting legacy for our community. 

Changemaker of the Year | Fr. Daniel Vélez-Rivera

​

The Very Rev. Daniel Vélez-Rivera is an Episcopal priest in the Diocese of Virginia and has served as the Vicar of St. Gabriel’s ~ San Gabriel in Leesburg since September 2012. The church’s mission is to “encounter God, build meaningful relationships, and make a difference in the world.” Fr. Daniel, along with the members of St. Gabriel’s, strives to live out this mission every day.

Fr. Daniel believes that every faith community plays a vital role in the public health and social fabric of its neighbors. By working closely with parishioners, local residents, and fellow changemakers in Loudoun County, he helps strengthen the community’s interconnectedness. Fr. Daniel believes that  communities are fortified when people come together to make a difference in each other’s lives—offering essential services and support through shared commitment.

Because St. Gabriel’s ~ San Gabriel does not have a physical building, the congregation is called to look outward and be present wherever people are. This outward-facing mission makes the church’s presence and programs more accessible to the broader community. With education as one of Fr. Daniel’s core values and as part of St. Gabriel’s justice-focused ministry, a team of church and community volunteers established Educando con Amor – Educating with Love—a free technology and arts after-school and summer camp program for students in grades K–8 in Loudoun County.

Educando con Amor has grown to serve over 500 children and teens annually plus their families, providing high-quality, STEAM programming and youth development opportunities for students across the community in an inclusive, supportive environment that fosters connection, growth and opportunity. Educando con Amor has expanded significantly since 2023, and its team of volunteers, led jointly by its program director Eva María Torres Herrera and Fr. Daniel, is now working to incorporate the program into its own nonprofit organization.  Additionally, Fr. Daniel was a key collaborator in St. Gabriel’s serving as a partner with the Commuting Foundation and other local organizations in the COVID-19 Emergency Fund Helpline, helping distribute rental assistance to underserved Loudoun residents in need during the pandemic.

One of Fr. Daniel’s passions is networking, which he views as the work of building strong and diverse communities by fostering connections that ensure access to vital information and resources. Fr. Daniel and his spouse live in Reston. In his free time, they play golf (or as he jokes, having golf play with him), he practices Bikram Yoga, and helps care for the gardens in his community. He holds a bachelor’s degree in Industrial Engineering and master’s degrees in Divinity and Social Work. Fr. Daniel has served in ordained ministry for twenty years.

Nonprofit Achievement Award | Morven Park

​

Morven Park’s mission is to preserve and protect the Park for all, inviting current and future generations to explore history, embrace civic engagement, and celebrate the outdoors. Owned and operated by the Westmoreland Davis Memorial Foundation, Morven Park is a 1,000-acre private, nonprofit park open to the public daily and attracting over 250,000 visitors annually. The Park offers diverse opportunities to connect with nature, history, and community, such as pedestrian trails, picnic areas, Davis Mansion tours, equestrian competitions, and family events like Polo in the Park and Harry Potter: A Forbidden Forest Experience.

For over ten years, the Morven Park Center for Civic Impact has provided free K–12 civics lessons to over 8,000 students annually, across more than 50 schools, teaching young people that their voices matter. The Center fosters strong school-business partnerships with Loudoun County Public Schools and several community organizations and businesses, as well as with Loudoun County Department of Parks, Recreation and Community Services and Loudoun Youth to offer summer leadership programs. Additionally, a collaboration with the Loudoun Chamber helped bring the National Civics Bee to Loudoun County in 2025. 

Morven Park’s Preservation team continues to expand the 246 Years Project, a genealogical database launched in 2024 bringing to light thousands of untold stories of the strength and resilience of enslaved individuals. With the help of dedicated volunteers and partnerships with county governments and other historic sites, this free resource fosters truth-telling, memorialization, and reconciliation, as descendants discover their ancestors’ narratives.

The renowned Morven Park International Equestrian Center has showcased excellence in dressage, show jumping, and cross-country for over 50 years. Through partnerships with two national equestrian organizations, Morven Park has significantly expanded their programs and events. This year, Morven Park will host the US Equestrian Open of Eventing, which attracts top athletes from across the nation and has a worldwide following. As nearly 62% of equestrian competitors come from out of state, Morven Park collaborates with Visit Loudoun toward a common goal of promoting local tourism.

Morven Park’s CEO and Executive Director, Stacey Metcalfe, exemplifies community leadership as a strong advocate for nonprofits, businesses, and Loudoun tourism. Notably, she serves on the Loudoun Chamber Board of Directors as a director and past chair, is the immediate past chair of the Loudoun County Public Schools Business Partnership Council, serves on the Visit Loudoun Board of Directors, and served six years on the Loudoun Economic Development Advisory Commission.  

Our Emcee | Casey Veatch

​

Casey Veatch of Veatch Commercial Real Estate returns as guest emcee! Casey's dynamic presence and commitment to giving back to our community make him the perfect host for an evening dedicated to celebrating the individuals and organizations that help make our community a great place to grow up and grow old. 

Roots & Legacies includes a live auction of local experiences unique to Loudoun and northern Fauquier Counties.  If your business or organization has a unique, local experience to donate, please contact us at joanne@communityfoundationlf.org.

Investor Sponsors

Claude Moore Charitable Foundation

Google

Oak Hill Wealth Advisors

​

Impact Sponsors

Toth Financial

VP Event Design

Moon Bounce Media

Simply Fresh Events

​

Endowment Sponsors

Backflow Technology

Major Family Foundation

​

President's Sponsors

The Adgate Family

Loudoun Now 

Virginia Housing

​

Sustainer Sponsors

Arbor Private Wealth

BCT-The Community's Bank

Empower Charitable

The May Family Foundation

StoneSprings Hospital Center

Loudoun Times-Mirror

Gordon Springs

Curated Events

​

Supporter Sponsors

ARM Consulting 

Amy and David Bosserman

Inova Loudoun Hospital

Loudoun Chamber of Commerce

Loudoun Commercial Title, LLC

Morven Park

You've Got Maids of Northern Virginia

Country Zest & Style 

​

Interested in sponsoring Roots & Legacies 2025? Contact Nicole at nicole@communityfoundationlf.org

About the Community Foundation for Loudoun and Northern Fauquier Counties

Founded in 1999 by local volunteers, the Community Foundation for Loudoun and Northern Fauquier is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit with the mission to grow community giving in Loudoun and northern Fauquier counties through grantmaking, partnerships, and leadership work. Since its inception, the Community Foundation has granted more than $16 million into the community through 140+ unique grantmaking funds. Last year, the Community Foundation granted more than $2.3 million to more than 200 nonprofit organizations, and provided training and capacity building opportunities to more than 330 local nonprofit leaders serving organizations in our footprint. Donors who include the Community Foundation in their philanthropic vision benefit from personalized donor fund services, low fees, knowledgeable staff, and assurance that legal and accounting issues are managed under one cost-effective banner: the Community Foundation for Loudoun and Northern Fauquier Counties.  Learn more about our mission:  www.communityfoundationlf.org

About Roots & Legacies

Established as our signature event in 2023, the Community Foundation invites the community to join in Roots & Legacies each year during National Philanthropy Week to celebrate local philanthropy, giving back, and our nonprofit community.

​

Past Roots & Legacies Honorees

​

2024

Philanthropist of the Year | Carol Barbe

Changemaker of the Year |  J Hamilton Lambert

Nonprofit Achievement Award |  Women Giving Back

​

2023

Philanthropist of the Year | Karen Schaufeld

Changemaker of the Year | Angela Mitchell

Nonprofit Achievement Award | Loudoun Hunger Relief