Easter seals philanthropist of the year 2007 - craig ruppert

On the heels of both contributing and helping to raise a significant amount of money for Easter Seals new intergenerational center now under construction in Silver Spring, MD, board member and longtime advocate Craig Ruppert has been named the national organization's 2007 Philanthropist of the Year and was honored at last night's Chairman's Gala as part of the Easter Seals National Convention at the Capital Hilton. But Lisa Reeves, president of the local Easter Seals Greater Washington-Baltimore Region affiliate doesn't want folks to focus on the amount: "When it comes to Craig, it's all about the heart. His donation to The Harry & Jeanette Weinberg Inter-Generational Center is obviously significant, but Craig is being honored for over a decade of leadership and giving, including spearheading our capital campaign for the past five years, helping to drive the organization forward as a board member and helping others to understand and appreciate the services that Easter Seals offers in our area. Without his enthusiasm and commitment, we might be a different organization than the one we are today."Ruppert's role with Easter Seals began unwittingly at the age of six. "My sister, Colleen, was born with Down Syndrome 47 years ago and in 1965 was one of the early clients of Easter Seals services at The Harry & Jeanette Weinberg Child Development Center in Washington, DC. I used to go with my mom and drop Colleen off at school everyday," reminisces Ruppert. "Years later, I was asked by a friend to join the board of Easter Seals. To learn more about the organization, I took a tour of their programs and facilities and when we stopped at the center, I realized I'd been there before. That kind of sealed the deal for me because I knew from my parents what a help Colleen's early education had been. Today, Colleen lives in a group home, rides the metro and has worked for the Government Printing Office for over 25 years. Her level of independence stems directly from the assistance she was able to receive as a child." Ruppert accepted the award with his sister Colleen by his side. She also spoke about her success and the benefits of receiving early Easter Seals services."When it comes to making an impact," says Reeves, "Craig is the kind of leader who, once he is committed, brings everyone else on board with him. The shining example of this is our new intergenerational center. It's been a priority for this organization for sometime, and we'll be opening our doors to clients this March, with an offering of services for children and seniors with a wide range of disabilities, as well as for their caregivers. It's a whole new model of care that has encompassed enormous public and private support and it took someone willing to focus on a single goal for several years to make it happen from a capital campaign standpoint. On top of helping us to raise more than $12 million so far, he's led the way with his own donations to the project, which have just reached the million dollar mark. The value Craig brings to this organization cannot be underestimated." From Ruppert's standpoint, the award is nice, but it does not belong solely to him. "I've had the privilege to see how an organization like Easter Seals works from the inside out." says Ruppert, " It takes money, sure, but it also takes a whole lot of smart, committed people to make something work so well for over 75 years. The staff, the clients, the board, the corporations, foundations and public officials who lend their support, the people who-- for over 70 years --donate to the annual campaign, are all behind Easter Seals and its mission to provide everyone with a disability the opportunity to reach their highest potential. Those are the people I'm accepting this award for and I'm honored to do so on their behalf." Ruppert is also quick to point out that the definition of "disability" has changed over the years. "Back when Colleen attended school, Easter Seals used to be called the Crippled Children's Society. Today, Easter Seals helps people with any kind of disability whether it's birth-, age- or accident-related. I think a lot of people would be surprised to know that Easter Seals is now the largest provider of both adult day (senior care) and autism services. This really is a group that changes with times, while at the same time staying committed to its core focus - dignity for all." Ruppert is the majority owner of Ruppert Companies, which encompasses Ruppert Nurseries and Ruppert Properties, both located in Montgomery County. The company is best known for its commercial landscape and landscape management services along the East Coast. It also provides high-quality wholesale tree stock from its Laytonsville farm and offers significant flex warehouse space in Frederick County.