08 May 2019 Mrs. King Saw Everything
Recently I had the honor and privilege to say a few words of love and remembrance at the Celebration of Life for Kappy King, a beloved wife, mother, friend, philanthropist and community advocate.
The morning of the service I gave special attention to what I was wearing.
Not because I thought anyone at the Celebration would or should notice, but because any time I knew I was going to see Kappy King I gave special attention to what I was going to wear.
I knew she would notice because she noticed things, and she was always a vision of grace and style.
She glowed.
She was always put together.
She had it all going on.
Not just in her appearance, but in her presence, her essence and her soul.
She made me want to be a better person. She made me want to work harder for the things she cared about. Kappy and I shared a passion for some of the same causes. She was a role model to me and so many others through her spirit of generosity.
In my role at the Southwest Florida Community Foundation, I have the honor and privilege to meet and connect with people when they want to point what they have toward a need.
I remember hearing about Kappy King and her husband John, long before I met them. Each and every time I walked through the doors of Hope Clubhouse, I would see her name at the entrance and would hear stories of her passion and generosity. Hope Clubhouse is a community of people who are working toward a common goal of supporting persons living with the effects of mental illness. The Clubhouse builds meaningful relationships while providing paid employment opportunities and access to education and housing. I wondered who is this Kappy King?
When I had the opportunity to meet John and Kappy, I saw a dynamic duo committed to their faith, each other, family, their community and causes close to their heart.
I would watch in awe as she participated in meetings and conversations measuring her words and actions for the greatest impact. If you didn’t know her you might think you were in the presence of a quiet woman sitting attentively and then BOOM she would hit you with intense words of wisdom and insight.
Her faith was central in her life, so I recognized where her strength, inner peace and beauty came from.
She believed all things were possible through her God and it showed.
The morning of her Celebration of Life, I participated in the Hope Clubhouse Possibilities Council, a group of advocates and supporters of the Clubhouse. Kappy was a founding member because she noticed possibilities, believed in possibilities, activated possibilities, cheered for them, supported them and saw many of them come to pass.
Kappy may not be here with us to see what happens next, but her encouragement, vision and optimism will live on in every Hope Clubhouse member, the women and girls she supported through the Women’s Legacy Fund, the capacity building she made possible for non-profits though the Collaboratory and in each one of the people she loved, supported and impacted along the way.
We won’t let you down, Mrs. King. We know you notice everything.
The Southwest Florida Community Foundation, founded in 1976, cultivates regional change for the common good through collective leadership, social innovation and philanthropy to address the evolving community needs in Lee, Collier, Charlotte, Hendry and Glades counties. The Foundation partners with individuals, families and corporations who have created more than 400 philanthropic funds. Thanks to them, the Foundation invested $6.8 million in grants and programs to the community. With assets of more than $126 million, it has provided $78.2 million in grants and scholarships to the communities it serves since inception. The Foundation is the backbone organization for the regional FutureMakers Coalition and Lee County’s Sustainability Plan. The Southwest Florida Community Foundation’s regional headquarters are now located in the historic ACL Train Depot at Collaboratory in downtown Fort Myers, with a satellite office located in LaBelle (Hendry County). For more information, call 239-274-5900 or visit www.floridacommunity.com.
