Summer 2021 Newsletter

New Trades Scholarship Being Established

Not everyone who graduates from high school is planning to attend a 4-year college or university. There are many jobs in our community that do not require a 4-year degree. There are numerous individuals in this community who perform critical jobs each day that each of us values and depends upon. When we stop and review who these people are, we realize that plumbers, builders, heating and air conditioning contractors, automotive technicians and electricians are among the indispensable people upon whom we rely each day. There was a time when future craftsmen/women learned by being apprentices to experienced craftspeople, but today, as the use of technology grows everywhere, our craftspeople need vocational /technical school training to be able to compete in the crafts workforce. These students are as worthy of financial help as those who intend to attend 4-year institutions. To assist such students, the GLCCF is establishing an Endowed Scholarship under its Education Pillar for students heading to vocational /technical schools to advance their career prospects.

GLCCF Vocational/Technical Scholarship

To kick off this new thrust, the GLCCF Board is setting up a $5,000 challenge match whereby for each dollar donated by a Foundation supporter, a dollar match will be provided by The Foundation from its endowment. When the fund balance reaches $10,000, a scholar-ship will be awarded based on the earnings of the fund. The hope is that through time this endowment will grow and be able to provide multiple scholarships each year to students who plan to attend vocational/technical schools.

If this donation option is of interest to you, donations can be sent to PO Box 86.

Make checks payable to GLCCF and note in the memo space that it is for the vocational and technical scholarship. If you have stocks, etc. to transfer or have other ideas, please contact Bruce Carlstrom (651-345-3373), Jim Schreck (651-345-9834), or Steven Lang (651-345-0186), each of whom is a GLCCF Board member with experience in such matters.

Five for Food 2019 – Five years finished – Over $102,000 raised

Five for Food, the annual initiative of the Greater Lake City Community Foundation to raise funds for and community awareness of the Lake City Food Shelf has completed its fifth year by presenting a check to the Lake City Food Shelf for $22,184. Since its inception, Five for Food has provided the Food Shelf $102,435.

With the buying power of the Food Shelf, the funds provided by Five for Food can purchase over $400,000 worth of food and necessities for Food Shelf clients.

Five for Food started with five sponsors contributing $1,000. Sponsor funds were pooled to match contributions from the community. Thirteen sponsors provided $10,000 in 2019.

Thank you to our Sponsors:

  • Ardent Milling
  • Fiesta Foods
  • Lake City Federal Bank
  • Mayo Clinic Health System-Lake City
  • Lake City Masonic Lodge
  • Lake City Lions Club
  • Lake City Rotary Club
  • The Graphic
  • Papa Tronnios
  • Greater Lake City Community Foundation
  • Automation Services
  • Alliance Bank
  • An anonymous donation

If you, your organization or company is interested in being a Five for Food Sponsor in 2020, contact Bruce Carlstrom at: brucecarlstrom@gmail.com or (651-345-3373)

Foundation Establishes Community Fund with Rochester Area Foundation

Photo: GLCCF directors Beth Krehbiel , Jim Schreck and Kim Vetter with Jennifer Woodford, President of the Rochester Area Foundation

Over the past two years, GLCCF has been working very hard to improve its ability to better serve the citizens of this region. After much discussion with other foundations, we decided the best course of action would be to work closely with another successful foundation to be able to offer new options for philanthropy while remaining independent under local control.

In December, an agreement was reached whereby the Greater Lake City Community Foundation has become an affiliate of the Rochester Area Foundation. With affiliation, we now have access to many donating options that give choices to donors as to how to serve their philanthropy interests as well as meet their personal financial needs.

We now will be offering Donor Advised Funds, Field of Interest Funds, Endowment options for many interests such as scholarships, civic organizations, Churches, or Community Areas such as the Arts, and areas like community Improvement and beautification.

There are options to roll contributions directly from retirement accounts, stock brokerage accounts etc. directly to the GLCCF without triggering taxable events such as having to sell stocks prior to making the donation. There are benefits to those who have a significant event such as sale of a business or farm whereby taxes can be reduced via making a charita-ble donation. If this interests you please contact one of our board mem-bers or drop a note to PO Box. 86.

Five for Food Initiative

Sponsors of the Five for Food Initiative for the Lake City Food Shelf presented a check for $21,907.87 representing $10,000 in donations from sponsors and $11,907.87 provided by 1,422 members of the community who contributed $5 or more.  Over the past four years, Five for Food has provided over $80,000 to the Lake City Food Shelf.

Pictured are:  Mavis Hawkins, Ruth Schneider, Eunice Blattner  and Kay Lastine, Lake City Food Shelf, Greg Schreck and David McCormick, Lake City Masonic Lodge, Steve Lang, Greater Lake City Community Foundation, Bruce Carlstrom, Lake City Federal Bank, Ron Hooge, Lake City Rotary Club, Phil Nyberg, Fiesta Foods, Dean Schumacher, Lake City Graphic, Adam Evers, Ardent Milling and Trever Coons, Mayo Clinic Health Service Lake City.   Sponsors unable to attend were Papa Tronnio’s Pizza and the Verizon Store of Lake City.  Three anonymous sponsors also participated.

New Bike Shelter

Supporters of the new bike shelter are: Bruce Carlstrom and Jim Schreck of the Greater Lake City Community Founda on, Chris Peterson of the Lake City Rotary Club, Greg Schreck of the City of Lake City and Frank Lupton, Don Schwartz and Constance Anderson of Lake City Ac ve Living Group.

Scholarships

Nathaniel Baer and Brendan Koplin each received $500 scholarships in 2018 from Jim Schreck representing the Harold and Bernice Schreck Memorial Scholarship Fund.

Five for Food 2018 | Two Times Better

Five for Food, an initiative of the Greater Lake City Community Foundation for the Lake City Food Shelf, begins its fourth year during March, which is Minnesota Food Share Month.  In the past, $5 contributions were matched from a pool of sponsoring organizations.  Since more sponsors have come forward in 2018, the sponsors’ funds will this year match each contribution up to $10

The matching funds are available for donations received in the month of March.  Aid available from other Minnesota programs is based on the local food shelf support during March of each year.  The greater the local support, the greater the funds received from the other programs.

The Lake City Food Shelf is an IRS recognized charity.  Donations are tax deductible.

Make your contributions by check payable to the Lake City Food Shelf and mail it to Greater Lake City Community Foundation, P. O. Box 86, Lake City, MN 55041.

Five for Food Donation Form Download

Donations

As new “pillars” are announced within the GLCCF, it is important to specify in which area you want your donation to be used.  Donations that are not designated for a pillar [Endowment for the Arts, Education (including Endowed Scholarships), Environment, Community & Economic Development] will continue to go into the General Fund which will be used for making grants in areas that are of general interest to our supporters.

Endowment for the Arts

A new “Pillar” of the Greater Lake City Community Foundation was announced at the June 19th meeting held at the Lake House on Pepin restaurant – The Endowment for the Arts.  This new pillar will generate money to be used for grants in support of arts in our impact region.  Fundraising is being conducted aimed at raising $20,000 to be placed in an endowed fund that will generate income to be used for the support of arts.

This new thrust has begun with an anonymous contribution of $10,000 by an area couple.  In addition, the GLCCF Board of Directors personally contributed $5,000 to be used as matching funds to help spur additional donations that –  when matched dollar for dollar –  will result in a total of $20,000 for the Endowment for the Arts.

Once the $20,000 total has been reached, the income earned from the endowment investments will be used to fund grant requests in our area.  If you are interested in supporting the arts in our region, now is the time to double the benefit of your donation.  Please specify on your donations, payable to GLCCF, that they are for the “Endowment for the Arts” if that is your intention.