Rik Laird and Patti Rambasek have always valued education and given their time and talents to community service. When Rik graduated from Ludington High School, he received scholarships in music and engineering to further his education. Knowing the impact those scholarships had on his ability to continue his education, Rik and Patti are leaving an estate gift that will establish the Laird Rambasek Family Scholarship Fund.

Nonprofit staff members across the country wear many hats to fulfill their mission. Through a partnership with the Fremont Area Community Foundation and the Michigan Health Endowment Fund, the Community Foundation continues to provide access to Catchafire, a virtual capacity-building platform, for local nonprofits. This partnership has allowed participating nonprofits in Mason County to thrive, extend their reach, and continue to impact our community. Since the start of this program in 2021, this program has provided over 336 hours of project support saving more than $73,634 for participating Mason County nonprofits.

As part of philanthropy leadership, the Community Foundation for Mason County is in its fifth year of inviting area nonprofits to share which near-term projects and purchases need financial support from the community. In 2021, over $26,000 in wishes were granted, and we are truly thankful for the enthusiastic and generous response from our community. This year, over 70 “wishes” were submitted by nonprofit organizations, totaling over $162,000 for projects in need of funding.

This month we are proud to showcase our board chair, Patti Klevorn! Click to learn more about her impact on Mason County.

The Community Foundation for Mason County Youth Advisory Council conducted a county-wide youth needs assessment to learn youth concerns, involvement in the community, and their plans for the future. YAC presented this information to leadership groups in the community and focused their spring competitive grant awards on programs to help in these areas. Awards totaling $7,000 went to four organizations resulting from the Youth Advisory Council (YAC) Spring Grant Round.

The second Deposit Day of the 2021/2022 school year held this spring and was a huge success! The Community Foundation KickStart to Career program now has bank accounts for over 900 Mason County kindergarten, first, and second-graders.

The Community Foundation for Mason County is proud to partner with Ludington Mass Transportation Authority (LMTA) and Michigan Transportation Connection (MTC) to establish Rides to Wellness, a pilot program that provides transportation for residents of Mason County age 60 years and older and residents with disabilities to non-emergency medical appointments. The program is fostered through a $5,000 grant provided by the Community Foundation for Mason County as well as Federal Grant funds provided by Michigan Transportation Connection.

We are kicking off a new monthly series, Community Foundation for Mason County: Community Impact Spotlight. Our KickStart to Career Coordinator, Julie Van Dyke is our first interview!

Richard (Dick) and Cathy Reader have lived in numerous communities across the country throughout their marriage, but Mason County will always have a piece of their hearts. Knowing Mason County helped to shape their foundation, the Readers have decided to establish the Clinton & Lila Coleman and Charles & Margarette Reader Fund in memoriam of their parents.

Nancy Hesting has always been involved in nonprofit work, from when she was a finance director for a consulting firm that supported fundraising efforts for nonprofit organizations, to her volunteer efforts with local nonprofits such as Sandcastles Children’s Museum and the Rotary Club of Ludington.