Challenges boost total

WILLOW LAKE — The Willow Lake Area Community Foundation (WLACF) recently exceeded its initial fundraising goal by raising more than $250,000 to establish its endowment fund and prepare it to offer grants beginning in 2025.
As a result of surpassing its challenge goal of $200,000, WLACF received twin challenge grants of $50,000 each from the South Dakota Community Foundation (SDCF) and the Field of Dreams Fund, a SDCF sub-fund. WLACF will operate as a Community Savings Account partner fund within SDCF.
The WLACF advisory council, including Matt Vandersnick, Carolyn Nichols, Kim Bratland, Bob Syring and Jack Schmidt launched its effort in 2022 and met its goal with a year to spare in the three-year challenge grant period.

The purpose of the foundation is to support various charitable projects and organizations in the Willow Lake, Vienna and Carpenter area.
“We’re so grateful to the people and businesses who supported our effort to get the Willow Lake Area Community Foundation off the ground,” said Matt Vandersnick.
“We received donations from current as well as former area residents, which is a sign of how important home is to all of us. We look forward to being able to make a difference in our area.”
As an endowed fund, WLACF will use a percentage of its assets to make grants annually. Information on applying for grants will be forthcoming.
To donate and learn more about WLACF, please visit www.sdcommunityfoundation.org, click Donate, and search for Willow Lake Area Community Foundation.