Herreid Community Foundation, Lasting Legacy
The Herreid Community Foundation (HCF) was started in 1999 to provide financial support to charitable and nonprofit purposes in the Herreid community at the recommendation of a local advisory council. With careful investment, their fund will continue to grow and enhance quality of life in the local area forever. This fund is one of 84 community savings accounts in partnership with SDCF.
The most recent challenge involved Herreid donors Clyde and Donna Schoeck, Vern and Ethel Ochsner, Gordon and Mavis Klaudt and Bruce Brandner who started with a combined $10,000 donation challenging the community to raise $40,000. Having met the challenge in two years, SDCF and the Campbell County Bank each contributed $10,000.
“To establish a successful CSA, you need to find a leader in the community who is willing to spend the time to make it a success,” said Brandner. “Promoting it through the local media and through constant discussion with patrons is very helpful to its growth.”
In December 1999, SDCF challenged the community of Herreid to raise $50,000 to receive a $12,500 grant. Thanks to the leadership of their local advisory council, a $50,000 donation in 2001 from Professor Clayton C. Wiest and commitments from residents and area businesses, they completed that challenge in less than two years.
“The Herreid Community was formed to promote philanthropy in the local area,” said current HCF board member and generous donor Bruce Brandner. “Bernie Christenson met with local businesspeople and promoted the benefits of the formation of a local CSA. At first there was a lot of apprehension, but this soon changed as a challenge offered by SDCF was met within a year. From there it blossomed into a passion by several citizens and has grown ever since.”
The HCF accepted their second challenge in 2008. This time, they would raise $45,000 for $5,000.
Between the Clayton C. Wiest Fund and two new funds given generously by the Mitzel family and the HCF, the advisory council manages almost $555,000. “As the community sees the benefits of the HCF, it has become easier to raise donations,” said Brandner. “The perpetual benefits of the fund make it a long-term investment that has grown very popular. The fund has granted nearly $150,000 back to the community for several important projects. Many of these projects wouldn’t have been completed without grants from the local CSA.”