Mason Beuhring, Communications & Program Services Director at Marietta Community Foundation, sits down with Marcy Wesel, Secretary of the Board of Directors at the Foundation, to get to know this prominent community member.

Mason Beuhring: Hello, Marcy, I appreciate you sitting down with me! If it’s okay with you, I’d like to start by asking where are you from and what is your background?

Marcy Wesel: I was actually born in Memphis, TN where my dad was stationed in the Navy.  Around 6 months old, my mother and I came back to Marietta while my father continued to serve.  I have been here ever since, aside from my time in college. I attended the Ohio State University and graduated with a Bachelor’s in Nursing.

I would have continued working at the Children’s Hospital, but I married my husband, David, who is also from this area. So I moved back home, married, and we have two children, Alex and Olivia. 

MB: What is your favorite thing to do in Washington County?

MW: Well, my hobby is “birding.” I like to go birding with my friends because it’s a great way to spend time with them. I enjoy birding in Washington County, but have also traveled to different locations.

MB: Are there any specific species that you enjoy finding?

MW: Anything that is coming and going… especially the migrant species.  On rare occasions we get some unique birds that aren’t typically in this area because some will veer off of their migration path. We have a little network in town and we all find out where that bird is located. Then, everyone can go look at it and get excited just like “bird nerds” do!

MB: So do you do any photography to capture these birds you see?

MW: You know, I would say the majority of the birding community is into photography. While I appreciate the photography, I have hesitated getting into it myself. It would just be one more thing that would tie me to a computer and I don’t think I can keep up with it. I just like to stand there and watch the bird in its own environment.

MB: So how did you become involved with the Foundation?

MW: Eric Erb contacted me after I had recently retired from Marietta Memorial. I was very honored to be considered and it has been a very interesting experience. In a way [being on the board] I feel like I’m on the mezzanine looking over all of the many wonderful organizations within Marietta. I get to see how they run, who runs them, and how well they hold together. And, I get to see how they utilize the resources from the Foundation.

As I finish out a term here on the board, I feel like I can go to the particular organizations, that I have come to admire, to help volunteer in the future. This is a nice way to figure out where you want to go, but now it’s hard to determine because there are so many that I admire!

MB: Is there a specific project you have been involved with, while on the board, that you have been fond of?

MW: I particularly like being involved with the Allocations Committee. It has been a lot of fun to discuss each of the organizations and watch some of their leaders grow. We have a huge responsibility in that we have a “chunk” of money and we need to weigh which organizations are allocated funds. Even when an organization is not allocated money one year, it is wonderful to see Heather [Allender] (President & CEO of Marietta Community Foundation), help them for the next time they apply by giving suggestions. I have seen some of these organizations take her suggestions, readjust their plan, and then they are allocated funds for the next year. When it happens, it is really nice to witness.

I also like working with scholarships. I enjoy seeing some of these young, future citizens and hearing what they have to say. So many of them are deserving, and the hardest part is not being able to give all of them scholarships.

MB: You mentioned earlier that you earned a Bachelor’s degree in Nursing and then you worked at the Children’s Hospital. When you moved back to this area, where did you continue your nursing career?

MW: I started at Camden Clark, moved to Marietta Memorial, worked at Washington State Community College as a nursing instructor, and then back to Marietta Memorial. Washington State was my favorite job, and it was the most exhausting. To see the progress of the students was exciting. Now I get to see a lot of them in the community today and see what they have become!

MB: As a board member, what objectives do you have for Washington County and its betterment?

MW: That is the main word that comes to my mind, “betterment.” It’s always impressive to see the assets this Foundation has. We are entrusted to allocate those assets in a very prudent way for the betterment of the community. I take it very seriously.

MB: What is one thing you would like others to know about the Foundation?

MW: Well, in your other interviews, you have asked each person if there are any board members they admire, and I thought, “I can’t do that, I can’t pick out one person in particular.” Everyone I have served with is extremely smart in his or her own unique way.

The board works well together. Various people have different opinions, but it all comes to a nice collaborative consensus. I never walk away thinking something is unresolved or there’s conflict. It’s always collaborative, everybody comes together regardless of their opinions, through compromise.

MB: Marcy, thank you so much for meeting with me! It was a pleasure getting to talk with you.

MW: Absolutely, thank you for having me.