NORTH STAR
John Wigle - Because of him, us.
OUR LEGACY
There are old souls who walk among us. Those who are a little wiser and kinder, who move through life with a knowing many don’t. I know who they are because when I look into their eyes and engage in conversation, I can see deeper into them because there is depth to be seen. And when I listen to their words, my heart expands and opens a little more than it was before. John was one of those souls.
Together, he and Virginia envisioned helping people, one on one, so the impact is immediate and direct. John left us too soon but his legacy is just beginning.
John taught me something powerful about living authentically. About living life with love at its center. He’s still teaching me about life. And about giving. The story below was John’s favorite and embodied his spirit of impact giving.
Thank you, John.
- Sarah Abrams, Executive Director
OUR EXPERIENCES ARE DIFFERENT BUT OUR FEELINGS ARE THE SAME.
THE STAR THROWER
There was an old man who walked on the beach each morning. Early one morning, he walked along the shore after a big storm. The vast beach littered with starfish as far as the eye could see. In the distance the man noticed a child approaching. The child paused every so often and as he grew closer, the man could see that the child was bending down to pick up an object and throw it into the sea.
The child came closer and the man called out, “Good morning! May I ask what are you doing?” The child paused, looked up, and replied “Throwing starfish into the ocean. The tide has washed them up onto the beach.” the child replied. “When the sun gets high, they will die.” The old man replied, “But there must be tens of thousands of starfish on this beach. I’m afraid you won’t make a difference.”
The child bent down, picked up a starfish and threw it as far as she could into the ocean and said, "I made a difference for that one.”
— Adapted from The Star Thrower by Loren Eiseley