1970: Don Brink and Tom Sadler incorporated their accounting business in Lakewood called, unimaginatively but accurately, “Brink and Sadler”. (They were accountants after all, not prone to anything too flashy…..). I’m sure you have all driven by their business on 112^th street, still going strong after 53+ years.

Today, Wednesday, February 21, 2024, Tom Sadler passed away at the age of 80 after enduring Parkinson’s Disease for several years.

After experiencing success in the business, Tom joined Lakewood Rotary in 1977, embarking on a lifetime of service to his community of Lakewood. He served as president of the club in 1989-90, leading with a smile, an easy laugh, and appreciation of fun. A departure for sure from the image of an accountant; but Tom was extraordinary. He was Chair of the National Association of State Boards of Accountancy in 2008-9 and was later named one of the “Top 100 Most Influential People in Accounting” by Accounting Today Magazine. Tom was good, very good.

Tom’s passion was boating. He didn’t stop at owning one, cruising and vacationing in it. He became a Certified Coast Guard vessel captain. He took a liking to delivering yachts to destinations up and down the west. He wasn’t content to spend time in the San Juans or Desolation Sound with The Yacht Club folks, he preferred the company of the Pacific Ocean and all the challenges of open ocean navigation.

But here comes the best part: in 1993, Tom helped found the Lakewood Community Foundation Fund (LCFF). For the next 25 years, he shepherded this endowment fund. Rotary, Lions, Kiwanis and others all raised money and gave it out. Tom’s idea in helping create this endowed fund was to have a community support vehicle that would help Lakewood forever. In 2019, in large part due to the hard work and focus of Tom, the LCFF reached the one-million-dollar mark (now over $1.2 M). This fund is now giving over $37,000 every year to benefit Lakewood and Lakewood only. This is Tom’s greatest legacy in the City of Lakewood.

Perhaps you only knew Tom from the sign on his building, Brink and Sadler. But you should now be aware of the impact this man made on our city. His friends and family will miss him dearly, but we are all heartened by what Tom has left behind. Thank you, Tom.

Please click here or on Applications above. Deadline: September 22, 2023

The Lakewood Community Foundation Fund (LCFF) recently announced grants for 2023 in the amount of $37,600. And yet….donations were only a little over $15,000 this past year. That, Lakewood, is the beauty of endowed funds. Thanks to 30 years of donations, the endowed fund is over $1.2 Million. This year and every year, money goes back to Lakewood regardless of current income. Your generosity over the years will keep on giving in perpetuity. As in, forever.

This year’s grants:

Caring for Kids                                    $5,000

Clover Park Rotary (Park project)       $1,000

Communities in Schools                     $5,000

Emergency Food Network                  $5,000

Greater Lakes Mental Health             $5,000

Lakewold Gardens                              $6,600

Lakewood Baseball Club                    $3,000

Lakewood Lions (Springbrook)           $2,000

Nourish of Pierce County                   $5,000

Pierce County is a place of abundance. According to the 2020 Pierce County Transfer of Wealth Study*, our current household net worth is $269 billion. This is the total value of assets in our community –homes, businesses, investments. Over the next 10 years, $48.6 billion of those assets will be transferring from estates to the next generation. $482 billion is expected to transfer over the next 50 years. If concerned, caring community members like you designated 10% of your estate to charitable organizations and causes you cared about, we could transform our region for future generations.

Here is the study at this link. Lakewood's reported household net worth is $19 Billion. In the next 10 years, $3.1 Billion of that will change hands with estate reconciliation. If charitable organizations could only receive 10% of that wealth.....

2021-GTCF-Transfer-of-Wealth-Report.pdf