PRESS RELEASE Aug 8, 2006
Nearly 90 people attended a special 20th Anniversary Celebration of the Black River Falls Area Foundation and 10th Anniversary Celebration of the Friends of the Foundation on June 27th at the Holiday Inn Express in Black River Falls. In attendance were present and former trustees of the Foundation Board, grant recipients, scholarship donors and recipients, and special guests called “Friends of the Foundation” who each year contribute $100 to increase the available funds for grants.
Presentations were given by Gil Homstad, board chairman; Al Lahmayer, O.D., former trustee; David Hoffman, board vice chairman; and John Hogden, trustee. Grants totaling $57,263 were awarded to 22 recipients and scholarship donors and recipients in attendance were recognized.
Foundation trustees Jean Lee, Sue Michaelson and Mary O’Brien organized the event, which was catered by Molly’s Grill of Black River Falls. Other Foundation trustees are Todd Anderson, Ron Danielson, Michael Dougherty, David Millis and Fred Stai. Bee Herzberg is the Foundation’s assistant secretary. Printed Annual Reports were distributed and are available at the Jackson County Bank.
Gil Homstad gave the welcome and reviewed the Annual Report noting in 2005 over $144,000 of donations were received; over $130,000 of grants, gifts and scholarships were distributed; and Foundation assets on December 31, 2005 were over $1,829,000, which is an increase of more than $100,000 from the previous year.
Homstad then reviewed some history including the 1986 fund-raising goal of $125,000 to start the Foundation and the community’s generosity when $150,000 was raised. He also talked about the Foundation’s idea of a community center and the generosity of Milt and Lidy Lunda who contributed several million dollars to this fund drive, with the community generously donating $600,000.
Other historical reflections involved Scholarships, the establishment in 1996 of the Friends of the Foundation, whose annual donors have helped fund over $100,000 of grants, and the generosity of Mary Van Gorden who not only donated to the new library fund-raiser, but she established an endowment fund for the library’s History Room for its maintenance and expenses. In closing Homstad said the single most important thing that stands out in his mind is “the recognition that the Jackson County community is an extremely generous community.”
Al Lahmayer then talked about the power of an idea and how in 1985 Gil Homstad had an idea that Black River Falls should have a community foundation. “He took the idea to the Rotary Club, and that’s how it began,” said Lahmayer. He then talked about one of the first Foundation projects, which was securing grant funds for the development of Interfaith Caregivers. He also gave some history about the Lunda Community Center, the relationship with the Lunda Charitable Trust, the Lunda Park, the library and the Foundation Trail. “What a powerful idea Gil had to start a community foundation,” said Lahmayer. “I am sure not even he could have envisioned what a force for community improvement the Foundation would become here. He can take a lot of pride in what his powerful idea has become.”
David Hoffman spoke on the success of the Scholarship Program that this year awarded 18 scholarships totaling over $33,000. He said education was important to his father and mother, Duane and Lavina Hoffman and there are two scholarships given annually in their memory. David and Marilyn Hoffman also have scholarships and three were awarded this year. Hoffman reflected on the library fund-raiser. “It was an important project,” he said. “The Foundation raised over $1,000,000, with a substantial donation given by the Hoffman-Krohn Families in memory of Duane Hoffman.” David also talked about the Lunda Community Park and Hoffman Aquatic Park for which the Foundation raised over $500,000.
John Hogden then gave the history of the Foundation Trail and how important it is to maintain this beautiful asset. He also announced a new project to raise funds for the trail maintenance and a new Recognition Wall to be located along the trail off 8th Street adjacent to Town Creek. Donors will be able to personalize concrete pavers that will be placed on the wall. Flyers about this new fund-raiser were distributed.
Trustee Mary O’Brien then introduced the scholarships, and the donors and recipients. They are:
Calmer Overlien Alumni Association Scholarship ($1,200) - Nickolas Slegel, Black River Falls
Ralph Lund Memorial Scholarship ($1,000) - Tyler McNeely, Black River Falls
Don Halverson Memorial Scholarship ($1,500) - Samantha Cooper, Black River Falls
Duane and Lavina Hoffman Academic Scholarship ($1,500) - Lucas Bohac, Black River Falls
Duane and Lavina Hoffman Scholarship ($1,000 the first year; $500 the second year) - Marla Hawley, Black River Falls
Lions and Rotary Scholarship ($1,000) - Brandy Deno, Black River Falls
Ruby Stamstad Scholarship ($1,000 the first year; $500 the second year) - Amanda Mense, Hixton
Leland and Jeannette Larson Scholarship ($1,500) - Kimberly Ginther, Taylor
David and Marilyn Hoffman Scholarships (up to $6,284) - Melissa Ellingson, Black River Falls; Jill Janke, Black River Falls; Lance Wiersma, Black River Falls
Philip E. Meyer Memorial Scholarship ($750) - Aleisha Olson, Black River Falls
Anna and James Klir, Jr. Memorial Scholarship ($1,000) - Jessica Ebert, Black River Falls
Alumni Association Scholarships ($750) - Kathleen Guenther, Black River Falls; Heather Holcomb, Black River Falls
Fine Arts Scholarship – Anonymous Donor ($1,000) - Jason Johnson, Hixton
Two other scholarships, the Dean Nortman Memorial Scholarship ($1,000) and the Lieutenant Terry L. Preston Memorial Scholarship ($1,000) were not awarded.
Jean Lee then announced the 2006 grant recipients and Sue Michaelson and Mary O’Brien distributed the awards. Grants were awarded to the following:
Black River Falls Arts Alliance for their Summer Solstice Event.
Black River Area Child Care Services, Inc. toward paving service entry driveway.
Black River Area Community Band, Inc. to purchase music and band shell chairs.
Black River Falls High School Lights Fund toward construction of bleacher seating behind home plate.
Black River Falls Rotary Club to support construction of the Skate Board Park in Lunda Community Park.
Black River Memorial Hospital for the third installment payment of a $25,000 five-year pledge for their Capital Campaign for use in the OB Department. (Stanley Held Funds)
Boys and Girls Club of Jackson County toward purchase of copy/fax machine, refrigerator and stove.
City of Black River Falls for repairing outdoor warning siren located on Jefferson Street.
City of Black River Falls-Parks and Recreation for Lunda Community Park maintenance funds.
Cub Scout Pack 59 of Black River Falls toward purchase of lap top computer and electronic timer for pinewood derby track.
Friends of the Black River toward funding the Black River Cleanup and Festival.
Jackson County Aging Unit for funding assistance for Volunteer Transportation Program.
Jackson County Domestic Violence and Sexual Assault Outreach – Bolton Refuge for installation of a self-contained shower and to purchase a stove for transitional housing unit.
Jackson County Historical Society toward purchase of a computer, scanner and Photo Shop program.
Jackson County Interfaith Volunteer Caregivers, Inc. to purchase two files and paper trimmer. (Stanley Held Funds)
Jackson County Teen Court for support of the program.
Jackson Little League for improvements to Mark’s Field.
Lutheran Social Services – The Connection to purchase a double oven.
Mississippi Valley Archaeology Center at UW La Crosse for Silver Mound Archaeology Day.
School District of Alma Center, Humbird and Merrillan toward cost of a new community shelter building in the park.
Taylor Public Library to support the 2006 Summer Reading Program.
Western Dairyland EOC, Inc. to support the Jackson County Fresh Start Program.
Mary O’Brien concluded the program by saying, “On behalf of past and present trustees, I extend appreciation and admiration to Gil Homstad who in 1985 brought the vision of a community foundation to this city and who has been its leader ever since. We also have great appreciation to Dave Hoffman who has also given the Foundation so much time, energy and resources these past 20 years. We are also indebted to all the former trustees for their contributions.” O’Brien then acknowledged gratitude to all the Foundation “Friends” for their support. “Because of your generosity, we are able to increase grant dollars each year,” she said. “We sincerely appreciate you for your gifts and continuing support of the Foundation.”
1. Accepting the Black River Falls Area Foundation grant awards were, back, from left, Lisa Laatch, Black River Falls Rotary Club; Jane Ellingson, Black River Area Child Care Services; Grady Gutknecht, Black River Arts Alliance; Marilyn Reinhart, City of Black River Falls; front, from left, Brent Hensel, Boys and Girls Club; Paul Hanson, Teen Court; Joe Williams and Scott Anderson, Black River Area Community Band.
2. Accepting the Black River Falls Area Foundation grant awards were, back row, from left, Tim Wiesner and Barb Hagenbrock, Cub Scout Pack 59; Rolf Skogstad, Friends of the Black River; Dena Quinn and Pat Stein, Jackson County Outreach, Bolton Refuge; front, from left, Jan Eckles and Karen Foust, Interfaith Volunteer Caregivers; Bill Arndt, City of Black River Falls Parks and Recreation; and KC Reichenbach, Western Dairyland.
3. Accepting the Black River Falls Area Foundation grant awards were, back, from left, Millie Evenson and Gene Guthnecht, Jackson County Historical Society; Liz Hilts, Jackson Little League; Annette Grennell, Lutheran Social Services, The Connection; front, from left, Stan Gaynor, Black River Memorial Hospital; Ernie Boszhardt, Mississippi Valley Archeology Center; Geno Valentino, Lutheran Social Services, The Connection; and Scott Omernick, Jackson County Aging Unit.
4. Three of the presenters at the 20th Anniversary Celebration for the Black River Falls Area Foundation were, from left, Al Lahmayer, David Hoffman and Gil Homstad.
