The Mandarin Orange Education Foundary

Our mission

The Foundary exists to foster civic pride in California's historic heritage of the Mandarin Orange, to promote community identity, and to stimulate the involvement of residents in community activities.

We're not just about oranges — we're about roots.

Why “Foundary”?

It's not a typo — and it's not “foundry,” a factory for metal castings. The name was coined deliberately: FOUND, the verb — to lay the base or substructure of; to set on a firm base; to originate, initiate, or create — joined with -ARY, describing the action being carried out. The Mandarin Orange Education Foundary sets a firm base for education about the mandarin orange — its history, and the culture surrounding it in Northern California.

The spelling has old-world echoes, too. The Oxford English Dictionary records “foundary” — our exact spelling — as a variant of “foundry” with usage reaching back to 1601, and Noah Webster's 1828 American dictionary still lists “foundery” as its own entry. The old spelling even survives quietly on an American street sign or two, like Foundary Drive in Katy, Texas. Ours carries that four-hundred-year-old flavor while meaning something all its own.

What we do

• Heritage education. We preserve and share the history of the mandarin orange in Placer County and Northern California. Read the story →
• Supporting the Festival. We proudly support the Mountain Mandarin Festival.
• Scholarships. We offer $1,000 student scholarships every year, typically awarding three to five — contact us for eligibility and application details.

Board & officers

• Michael Gilligan — Chairman of the Board
• Karen Loer — Treasurer
• Peggy Green — Board Member
• Amanda Fredriksen — Board Member
• Jennifer Swenson — Board Member
• Gary Gilligan — Executive Director, Mountain Mandarin Festival

Contact

Questions, corrections, or want to get involved? Call (530) 320-7896 , email us at ssmike@moefevents.com , or use the contact page.