Donor Spotlight: Erle & Helen Sola
When Erle and Helen Sola moved to Ephrata in 1970 and bought the Coast to Coast store which eventually became True Value, they were on the right road to remarkable success. Erle was a natural salesperson with decades of experience, and Helen was his biggest supporter. Here is their amazing story…
Erling “Erle” was one of the four sons of Norwegian immigrants who came to America in the early 1920s. He was raised in Everett, Washington, and fought in WW II in the South Pacific. Following his service, he attended the University of Washington. It was in Seattle that he met his bride. Helen was born in Colorado but moved to Seattle early in her childhood. She graduated from the University of Washington and received her education degree. Helen loved sports and being part of athletic teams. It was at a dance that Helen met Erle and only nine days later, they hopped on a train and eloped to Reno, Nevada. Helen loved to tell their whirlwind romance story.
Once married, the Solas left Seattle so Erle could pursue his career with Libby Meat Company. For two decades his career took them to Utah, Montana and Idaho, but eventually they returned to Washington state.
Soon after arriving in Ephrata, they nestled into the tight-knit community very well. Helen was active in the Christian Women’s Club and Ephrata Chamber of Commerce. She also loved the Soap Lake Community and was instrumental in building the Masquers Theatre. Erle was a member of the Elks, supported the American Legion Post 28 and was also an Ephrata Chamber of Commerce member.
The Solas had a beautiful life together for 61 years. They loved traveling to Hawaii and Erle had quite a green thumb. Helen had a heart for animals, a love of antiques and the QVC shopping channel. It was a ‘until death do us part’ kind of love story. Erle passed away in 2008, and Helen joined him in 2009. Their generosity and love for community were clear while they were alive, donating to the construction of the SplashZone community pool in Ephrata and many youth and civic organizations.
The Columbia Basin Foundation was a beneficiary in their estate. 1 million dollars was left to set up three funds to execute their charitable wishes: First, the Erle and Helen Sola Designated Fund, Erle and Helen Sola Field of Interest and Ephrata High School Performing Arts Designated Fund. To provide a quick snapshot, they donated $736,499 to their designated fund, which has distributed $429,194 to date and currently still holds a balance of $971,227. Annually this fund provides grants to Ephrata Youth Assets, Wags-n-Whiskers, the Alvar and Louise Swanson Fund, which provides annual community grants, Walla Walla Camp Council of Camp Fire and Blue Mountain Humane Society. This fund will continue to grow in perpetuity. They also contributed to the CBF Sustaining Endowment.
Clearly, their passion for place and people was proven in their generosity at the end of their lives. What a legacy they created, and thousands of people will benefit from these two sweet lovebirds who worked hard, saved but eventually gave it all to their community. It only seems fitting during this holiday season to express how thankful we are for the Solas for their ingenuity, generosity and the amazing charitable impact they are making each and every day.
From the fjords of Norway to the Colorado mountains to the shores of the Puget Sound, the Solas' family history and life had many twists and turns but they clearly left their footprints in the sagebrush flats of Central Washington!