Deepening Connections: Elizabeth 'Betz' Haartz and Walter Davis

Vermont is the kind of place that gets in your bones, inspires you, nurtures you. The sense of community here is very real and yes, it’s special. It’s the kind of place where Elizabeth ‘Betz’ Haartz and Walter Davis knew they wanted to be. Both of them developed a love for Vermont as children and young adults, so the decision to become part of this community was an easy one.

The couple, along with their Icelandic horses Efstur and Stigur, have called Hartland home since 2002. When Betz and Walter felt the desire to be more involved in local giving, another easy decision was talking to the Community Foundation. Says Betz, “Nobody understands Vermont’s needs better than the Foundation, and they offered the personal advising we wanted.” They were considering what to do with their Massachusetts based private foundation because when they first established it, Betz thought it would be easy to manage, but instead it became a “paperwork chase.” Adds Walter, “On top of the endless paperwork, the accounting and attorney fees made it very expensive.”

In 2010, they worked with Community Foundation Senior Philanthropic Advisor Scott McArdle to convert their private foundation into the Hartland Fund. Passionate about land conservation and animal welfare, the couple will continue to support these causes, and they are excited to work with Scott to learn about other giving opportunities.