The Oregon Community Foundation has announced that local philanthropist Joe Weston has donated his majority interest in the company that owns and operates the exclusive Broken Top Golf Club, in Bend, to the Weston Public Foundation Charitable Trust, the Portland BusinessNews reports.

The estimated value of the gift to the trust, which supports the OCF Joseph E. Weston Public Foundation, is more than $6.9 million. Noting that Weston's donation marks the first charitable gift of a luxury resort in the state's history, OCF president Greg Chaill� said, "Joe Weston has transformed his success in investing in Oregon real estate into financial support of vital community services."

Well-known for his apartment holdings and real estate projects, including the Pearl District in Portland, Weston has donated ninety parcels of land to the foundation. The land is then leased back to Weston Investment Co., and the lease payments provide funds for grants. Governed by a seven-member board of trustees and administered by OCF, the Weston Public Foundation owns more than $35.7 million in land, which will generate $1 million in funds for Oregon nonprofits in 2005.