Bill Thompson III Young Birder’s Trust

May 15, 2019

Members of the Ohio Ornithological Society, and birders across the United States and the world, were deeply saddened by the passing of BILL THOMPSON III. OOS founding board member, board president, Birdwatcher’s Digest editor, birding superstar, loved family man, great friend and much more, the birding world has lost an extraordinary human being. There will always be a void in the birding community that will be impossible to fill.

Our love and prayers go out to Elsa, Julie, Phoebe, Liam, Wendy, Andy, Laura and all the extended family and friends whom he held so dear.

Soar with the Gyrfalcons, our friend.

As one of its founding members, Bill Thompson III has contributed extensively to OOS since its inception. For all the contributions of his time and talent, relationships forged and for his charismatic personality he has shared so lovingly with the birding community, especially Ohio’s birding youth, OOS would like to honor him by naming our scholarship fund, the “Bill Thompson III Youth Scholarship Fund”.  

Before Bill passed, he planned a fund to help the OOS as well as 3 other organizations very dear to him to continue to help and encourage young birders.

Earlier this year, Bill Thompson III was presented with the ABA’s Roger Tory Peterson Award for Promoting the Cause of Birding in recognition of his lifetime of service and contributions.

The Bill Thompson III Young Birder’s Trust

Executor and Administrator: Wendy Clark via the Marietta Community Foundation

OUR MISSION

The mission of the Bill Thompson III Young Birder’s Trust:

“To generate funding for scholarships through organizations designated by Bill Thompson III who successfully provide outstanding educational opportunities, experiences, and mentoring to young birders and naturalists.”

WHERE TO GIVE

Donations for this trust are being directed to the Marietta Community Foundation, attention Bill Thompson III Young Birders Trust. Funds will be distributed to each recipient organization by the MCF annually at the request of Wendy Clark, Trust Executor. The MCF was co-founded by Bill’s father, Bill Thompson Jr. to provide a nonprofit channel for support of people in the Marietta community and beyond. It was Bill Thompson III’s wish that funds be channeled through MCF and that scholarships in his name be given annually to the following organizations in support of youth education in nature and birding:

Leadership Fayette County
The Ohio Ornithological Society
Hog Island Audubon Camp
The American Birding Association Young Birder Camps

With additional sponsorship from Carl Zeiss Sport Optics

HOW TO GIVE

We would like to invite people to direct their donations to the trust in the following ways:

1. A general gift that is distributed equally among the four organizations.

2. A specific dollar amount directed to one or more organizations within the trust.

In support of Bill, of the trust, and of young bird watchers, Carl Zeiss Sports Optics will annually donate a pair of binoculars and a designated amount of funding (TBD) to each scholarship recipient within each specific organization. Zeiss’s contributions will NOT go through the MCF but will be sent directly to the recipient in coordination with the supporting organization.

If you would like to make a donation to The Bill Thompson III Youth Scholarship Fund, please make checks payable to  Marietta Community Foundation and indicate “OOS Bill Thompson III Youth Scholarship Fund” in the memo line.  You can mail donations to OOS, P. O. Box 2432, Westerville, OH 43086 and we will pass them on to the foundation (If you would like ALL of your donation to go to the OOS, please note that on your check in the notes section)

Or you can donate online directly to the foundation at: https://www.mcfohio.org/donate-online  Please note that you want your donation to go to the Bill Thompson III youth scholarship fund and note also if you would like all of your donation to go to the OOS.

Bill Thompson III Young Birder’s Trust 
You may also mail a check, made payable to Marietta Community Foundation and indicate “OOS Bill Thompson III Youth Scholarship Fund” in the memo line – to OOS, P. O. Box 2432, Westerville, OH 43086 and we will pass the funds on to the foundation (If you would like ALL of your donation to go to the OOS, please note that on your check in the notes section)

Or you can donate online directly to the foundation at: https://www.mcfohio.org/donate-online  Please note that you want your donation to go to the Bill Thompson III youth scholarship fund and note also if you would like all of your donation to go to the OOS.