Doug and Rachel Ellis co-founded The River Ellis Foundation in 2018 when their daughter, River, passed away. Along with the Foundation, Doug is involved in a range of different community organizations. He is Past President/Current Board Member of the Virginia Beach Surf & Rescue...
When approached by Doug and Rachel about helping with the River Ellis Foundation, the answer was an easy ‘yes’ for Blair. She helps out with development, and comes up with ideas on how to both fundraise and promote the organization. Blair is a Virginia Beach native and has...
Annabelle Stiffler focuses on helping to find funding for the River Ellis Foundation through a combination of Donor Gifts, Grants, and Public Engagement. She has been involved with the Foundation since its beginning and has long been a friend of the Ellis Family. In addition to REF, Annabelle is...
REF Volunteers have been hard at work making PPE for our local healthcare workers. We also provided masks for the moms and dads at Sentara Princess Anne Hospital in order to protect their new babies from COVID-19. These times are difficult for all of us, and we are thankful to be able to show...
In these difficult and uncertain times, we just wanted to take a moment to say that we are with you. There are a lot of people in need of a sunrise right now, so remember to check in on your friends, neighbors and family. The need may be closer than you think. Don’t forget that we’re all in...
Name: Gibby Hall Job Title/Company: Realtor, Howard Hanna Real Estate Services City: Coastal Virginia How did you first hear about The River Ellis Foundation? When River Ellis passed, I was beyond devastated for my friends. It is impossible to make sense of such a tragedy. ...
On Tuesday, December 3rd, The River Ellis Foundation is proud to participate in #GivingTuesday: a global generosity movement unleashing the power of people and organizations to transform their communities and their world. But we don’t want your money. Instead, we invite you to use December...
On October 26th, the annual Bay Colony Olympics was held in Virginia Beach. Each year, teams raise money for a local charity to participate in this event. This year’s recipient was The River Ellis Foundation. Participating teams create themes and dress up in elaborate costumes while...
The River Ellis Foundation exceeded their initial fundraising goal after raising more than $200,000 for the foundation’s kick-off event. On September 15th, more than 200 people arrived at the Virginia Beach Surf & Rescue Museum to celebrate REF’s Launch Party & Paddle Out...