Nearly $70,000 in Community Grants Awarded by Herman Gundlach Fund

Hancock, Michigan—The Herman Gundlach Fund of the Keweenaw Community Foundation (KCF) has announced it will award $69,531.75 to 17 local organizations to fund projects addressing community needs. The individual grant amount ranges from $1,375 to $5,000.

Donor-advised funds are established at the bequest of a donor wishing to provide flexible capital for charitable activities while retaining the ability to make annual grant recommendations to specific projects or interest areas. From captain of the Houghton High School and Harvard University football teams to a captain of industry, Herman “Winks” Gundlach Jr. was a man of many passions. Besides being a successful businessman, he was a prominent activist. Upon his death at age 91 in 2005, instructions were laid out about how to continue his legacy of giving back to the community he grew up in and worked in. Through the Herman Gundlach Fund, Winks continues to leave his mark on the community he loved.

Originally, $30,000 was the amount available for this period of funding, but after receiving the applications, the Gundlach family advised that all of the applications involved causes that Winks would have supported. “Winks could never have turned down or chosen among any of these worthy causes,” they responded. Jim Vivian, Executive Director of KCF, and the KCF Board of Trustees approved the family’s decision, and all 17 projects were funded. Vivian commented, “Winks’s spirit of giving lives on not only through this fund, which will continue to grow for good and forever, but also through the projects and organizations that do so much good for so many in our community.”

The grant recipients are:

• Omega House for continued funding for their Caring Hands Massage Therapy program.
• Houghton Middle School, Keweenaw Invasive Species Management Area, and Lake Superior Stewardship Initiative for the Houghton Middle School Environmental & Sustainability Science project to increase participation and hands-on opportunities for 7^th and 8^th grade science students at Houghton Middle School.
• Trap Rock 4-H Club and Calumet Art Center for the Club Youth Art Program to create and develop art activities for 22 youth ages 6-17.
• Keweenaw Family Resource Center for the Strong Families Keweenaw project to provide families with young children opportunities that will increase their family wellbeing, knowledge to support the health of their children, and access to community resources.
• Michigan Tech Fund for the Parade of Nations to serve the community with an innovative and unique international experience.
• Superior School of Gymnastics and Lake Linden-Hubbell Public Schools to purchase a Tumbl Trak (Porta Trak) that is designed to prevent injuries and can be utilized at every age and level as well as for skill training in all gymnastics events.
• Western Upper Peninsula Healthcare Access Coalition to facilitate access to quality, affordable oral health care to residents with limited income and a lack of dental insurance.
• Copper Country Humane Society for SNAP (Spay/Neuter Assistance Program) to provide financial assistance to help spay and neuter animals in our community.
• Keweenaw Heritage Center at St. Anne’s to augment funds for winterization, locks, and repairs to glass blocks in order to continue to provide a secure venue for the transmission of heritage activities and life events.
• Canterbury House for the Food Pantry & Meals project to help alleviate hunger in our community.
• Southern Keweenaw Trails for the Soke Trailhead & System Development project to purchase a trailhead map, trail intersection maps, picnic tables, grills, and trail maintenance supplies for the Greenland and Keweenaw Trails System.
• Carnegie Museum for the “Music at the Museum” series to provide honoraria for performers and for refreshments for a series of five musical event fundraisers for the Museum.
• P. Kids: Big Brothers Big Sisters in support of their High Five Mentoring program serving children and youth in the CLK School District.
• Houghton MI Skatepark project to build a 3,200 sq. ft., professionally built concrete outdoor skatepark to provide a designated quality area to support the youth and adults that pursue skating and BMX cycling as a sport.
• Swedetown Trails Club to replace major equipment needed to sustain and improve winter recreation trails at Swedetown.
• Little Brothers—Friends of the Elderly to provide crucially-needed operational support for their supplemental firewood program which helps offset the high cost of heating during the winter for the elderly who still heat with wood.
• Dial Help to sustain youth crisis and suicide intervention services.

For more information on giving or grant opportunities, please visit the KCF website (www.keweenawgives.org) or email mail@k-c-f.org. To be placed on KCF’s request for proposals list, please email your contact information to mail@k-c-f.org. You will be notified when grants become available.

Tax deductible contributions may be made to the Herman Gundlach Fund (or to any of KCF’s 80+ other funds) online at www.keweenawgives.org.  All contributions to a permanent endowment of KCF qualify for a Federal Tax Credit.

Through philanthropic services, strategic investments and community leadership, Keweenaw Community Foundation helps people support the causes they care about, now and for generations to come. For more information on Keweenaw Community Foundation and how to give, visit its website at www.keweenawgives.org.