A LEGACY OF LEARNING Omaha Woman’s Field of Interest Fund Will Empower Children Through Experiential Learning BY THE OMAHA COMMUNITY FOUNDATION AFTER A LIFETIME DEDICATED TO teaching special education, Buffie Somers decided a Field of Interest Fund was the best way to ensure her work will continue for the next generation. While growing up in her tight-knit hometown of Winfield, Kan., Somers observed the way her parents quietly cared for neighbors in need, newly arrived immigrants, and those facing adversity. The compassion displayed by her parents became an integral part of her own life. A Life of Service In the seventh grade, Somers’ class went on a field trip to a state hospital housing children with intellectual disabilities. “Our ‘tour’ was in the pediatric ward—the most depressing room one can imagine. Walls painted a pale color of gray, and walls lined with baby beds,” she recalled. “I learned from the hospital administrator that most of these severely handicapped babies would die before the age of 10 due to ‘lack of mother’s love,’ which of course was the layman’s term. In the ’60s, these babies were given up, put in a bed, and pretty much forgotten.” Somers, a preteen at the time, took action and became the first volunteer in this ward, saving money for a rocking chair so she could cradle and comfort each baby. Her dedication to this effort continued throughout her college years. Her commitment and service to young people didn’t end there. Throughout her career, she worked as a teacher, and even in her retirement years, she continued to volunteer, with a focus on supporting children with disabilities. Perhaps most notably, she has been a long-time volunteer at the Heart Ministry Center, which provides food, healthcare, and a way forward to people severely affected by poverty in the Omaha area. “My entire adult life I have been a teacher—a teacher to both children with severe cognitive delays and a teacher to Buffie Somers has established a Field of Interest Fund, which will be funded from her estate, to ensure the causes she cares about receive support even after she’s gone. 28 Nebraska CPA
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