Richards family donates $900K property to FISH

FISH, a nonprofit Carson City social services agency, is receiving Carson City real estate valued at $900,000 from Garth Richards, his family and an associate.

Escrow on the gift to Friends In Service Helping will close at mid-month. Principals held a transfer ceremony Friday at the nearly 30,000-square-foot structure on 1.69 acres at 430 Jeanell Drive in north Carson City. Jim Peckham, thanking Richards for the generosity, said FISH will assume a $200,000 debt on the property.

“We are doing this,” said Richards, “to help FISH in their many good programs that they provide in Carson City. The Richards family feels that no person or family should ever go hungry and be deprived of other necessities of life.”

The 2011-12 taxable value of the land was $353,357, according to assessor records, and the improvements were set at $554,223 for an overall value of $907,580. The square footage of the building was listed as 29,030; a garage adds 1,750. Richards also estimated there were perhaps 80 outdoor parking spaces on the property.

The one-level, U-shaped office or shop structure, with various units around the surface parking, has a few tenants and some vacant space.

Peckham said FISH might initially use the property for donation dropoffs and fixing whatever among those items will need other work; it also will be space for nonprofits and government agencies in the social service arena. FISH operates second-hand outlets to raise funds in Carson City, Gardnerville and Mound House.

“We’re talking with a number of local nonprofits and government organizations — state and local — that are focused on social services,” Peckham said. “Certainly the goal is to provide more social services to the community.”

FISH’s social services include providing food and health care to needy people in Carson City.

On hand representing FISH were Peckham and Lori Bagwell, currently the FISH board’s treasurer but the incoming president July 1.

On hand with Richards for the ceremony were his wife, Joanie, son Sean and daughter-in-law Rachel, as well as Mark Turner, Richards’ business and family associate with Silver Oak Golf & Event Center. Unable to attend were Dr. Todd Richards and his spouse, Kim, who live in Idaho.

The Jeanell LLC transfer is but one of the family’s donations for community benefit, Richards said. Other donations include large support for the Boys & Girls Clubs of Western Nevada, and Joanie Richards, a former teacher, has worked with other women in the Carson Tahoe hospital auxiliary to raise “hundreds of thousands of dollars” for the hospital.

Richards and Peckham credited Bank of the West, which is helping FISH assume the loan at reasonable interest cost, and Northern Nevada Title Co. for help in easing the transfer.