Community Impact Spotlight – Patti Klevorn
Q: What is your position within the Community Foundation for Mason County and how did you begin your connection with the Foundation?
I currently serve as Chair of the Board for the Community Foundation for Mason County, following a long line of excellent stewards of this great organization.
I began serving on the board when I was the editor of the Ludington Daily News. The paper had covered story after story about the Foundation’s efforts in our community. As I transitioned careers to work as the Marketing/Communications Director for Epworth, I have continued on the board and now also help connect Epworth cottagers with the Foundation.
Q: What other positions have you held in our community?
It is with great joy that I also currently serve as Chair of the Board for the Ludington & Scottville Area Chamber of Commerce, another important entity in our community.
I am also a member of the Rotary Club of Ludington and help coordinate our STRIVE program for students who are struggling in school and can benefit from having a mentor in their lives.
The organizations all complement one another, and it’s a blessing to be able to take part in the good they do.
There is always a way to get involved, to serve your fellow citizens, to help, and to reap the benefits of how good it makes you feel to know you’re part of something bigger than yourself, you’re helping and making a difference. I hope my involvement is an encouragement to others to serve with and donate through our local organizations.
Q: What is the most rewarding aspect of being part of the Community Foundation?
We can see the good happening right before our eyes. The Foundation has been part of almost every awesome project in our area, from the Splash Pad and the Pere Marquette Conservation Park to college scholarships that help our local students fulfill their dreams and make an impact on the world.
Q: What do you feel are some of the important projects the CFFMC has supported to date?
The Foundation and its top-notch staff are all about connecting donors with great projects, from the community pickleball courts and the Lakeshore Resource Network to Sandcastles Children’s Museum and even improvements to Rotary Park. I cannot think of a better place to invest in the community than through starting a fund with the Foundation.
Q: What are some things you hope to see come to fruition for our community within the next ten years?
Every person deserves a basic standard of living, currently outpriced for some of our local residents, including many who are working multiple jobs and still are not able to make ends meet. The Foundation is poised to connect those who want to help with those in need, from starting more funds, having more of our funds become unrestricted, encouraging policy changes, and connecting those in need with the right resources. I hope we make great progress on this effort in the next 10 years and beyond, becoming a model for other communities.