Members of the Watson-Brown Foundation Junior Board presenting a grant to the Burke County Genealogical Society included (l-r) Bonnie Bounds, Molly Newsome, Liz Grant, Lauren Brown, Morgan Lamon, On May 25, 2006, the WatsonBrown Foundation's Junior Board of Trustees awarded $8,100 to the Burke County Genealogical Society in Waynesboro, Georgia, for conservation of a portrait of Thomas Berrien, an early resident and barrister in Burke County.

The portrait had been discovered in the courthouse clock tower where it had been placed during renovations on the courthouse. It had been badly damaged. "It is an honor for the Junior Board to assist with preserving such an important piece of Burke County's history," said

. Waynesboro Mayor Jesse Stone, a member of the Burke County Historical Society, accepted the award. The portrait, when restored, will hang in the courtroom of the Burke County Courthouse.

The Watson-Brown Foundation supports historic preservation in part through its Junior Board of Trustees, a talented group of local high school students whose exclusive mission is to preserve local history. This educational initiative fosters civic responsibility, heightens an appreciation for local history, and introduces the students to the world

of philanthropy. The Junior Board awards $25,000 in grants annually to preservation projects in the Central Savannah River Area (CSRA) of Georgia and South Carolina. During the school year, the Junior Board conducts research, pre-grant inquiries, and site visits.

The Board's past preservation projects have included the restoration of a Confederate Reunion banner for the Washington Historical Museum, conservation of grave markers at the Wrightsboro Cemetery, and lighting for the Washington Historical Museum.