2021 Annual Report - Lander Community Foundation

2021 Annual

JANUARY 2021

Lander Community Foundation Board of Directors

Mike Kusiek, Vice Chair

Susan Brame, Chair

Lorielle Morton, Treasurer Jennifer Hamilton Sam Lightner, Jr.

Michael Cheek Cori Slingerland Missy White

Linda Lindsey, Secretary Amanda Sempert Deborah Reguera

Cover photo: Sara Hefti

Photo: Sara Hefti

Message From The Executive Director

Dear Friends,

Thank you for the support you gave to the Lander Community Foundation in 2021. I continue to be in awe of what we can do when we work together. A warm and hearty appreciation to you for providing financial assistance, enthusiasm, expertise, and personal encouragement as we navigated an unknown postCovid year.

We have a lot to celebrate about 2021! A record-breaking Challenge for Charities, increased engagement across all sectors, safe 41st 4th of July footraces, establishing an all-new education series, and remaining the resource for Lander-area nonprofits.

Mary Greene, Executive Director Lander Community Foundation

I hope you reach out to us with your ideas and feedback. We have a vision for the future that includes all sectors of our great town, and your perspective can help us continue to build a stronger, more vibrant community.

Investing The LCF Covid-19 Relief Fund Into Our Community

Early in mid-March 2020, we anticipated that COVID could have a devastating impact on our community. We quickly created a COVID committee to make decisions depending on what the organizations working directly with those affected would need. Answering the plethora of emails and phone calls asking for help and many offering assistance, we knew we needed volunteers and funding. A generous donation of $10,000 established the LCF COVID-19 Relief Fund. In the summer of 2021, we disbursed the remaining $64,000

to eight Lander nonprofits, Fremont County public health nurses, and Fremont County School District #1 school nurses.

These thoughtful and generous individuals and foundations donated over $142,000 to the LCF COVID-19 Relief Fund. What an incredible way to help our neighbors and friends. We were honored to be able to respond to the needs of our community and we’re humbled that LCF was seen as the organization that would make things happen during this time of uncertainty.

CELEBRATING LANDER’S 11 th Annual Challenge For Charities

2021 marked Lander’s 11th annual community-wide fundraising event, Challenge for Charities (C4C). We decided to pause our footraces in 2020 due to COVID, but we came back strong in 2021 by hosting over 700 runners and walkers for the 40th year of the 4th of July footraces! And in our effort to continue promoting the great work of the participating nonprofits, we highlighted willing organizations via County10 and Lander Journal articles and press releases well as social media spotlights. Our efforts proved to have a positive impact on charitable giving through C4C with nonprofits. 2021 was hugely fruitful. We raised the most money to date and surpassed 2020 in every category.

◊ 43 participating nonprofits raised over $416,000.

◊ 14 nonprofits exceeded the $10,000 match cap—three more than in 2020.

◊ 109 Challengers donated $172,000 to the matching fund making it the largest matching fund to date.

◊ Since 2011, C4C has facilitated raising and disbursing approximately $4,800,000 for our Lander community, over $1,000,000 since 2020.

The philanthropic leadership from these local businesses and individuals allowed us to give a 57% match to the funds raised by the participating nonprofits. There were 43 participating nonprofits in 2021. They raised a record $416,000! The 2021 Challenger matching pool was $171,000, making a total of $588,000—another record. These funds are all poured back into Lander and used for local programs and projects.

Without the generosity of our donors to the nonprofits and our Challengers, who contribute to the matching fund, C4C would not be possible. Last year, Lonnie Bull at Edward Jones, Fremont Therapy Group, the Mortenson Family, and an anonymous donor made up our 2021 lead Challengers, each contributing $20,000 to the matching fund. What a way for us to start 2021! These generous contributions spurred our community's philanthropic action, leading to 109 matching fund donations from individuals, Lander businesses, foundations, and even a few nonprofits. Not only do Challenger donations encourage philanthropic giving across our community, but they also allow us to be successful in supporting nonprofits in offering their fantastic programs and services that make our community so incredible.

C4C DONATIONS BY FIELD OF SERVICE

This chart shows how your donations, including the matching fund, were distributed to organizations categorized by field of service.

Recreation (4 orgs.)

8%

Local Food (3 orgs.) 2.1%

Health & Human Services (11 orgs.)

18.8%

Education (6 orgs.)

12.4%

Animals (2 orgs.) 9.7%

Arts and Culture (7 orgs.) 7.0%

Civic (3 orgs.) 6.2%

Conservation & Environment (6 orgs.) 10.2%

2021 Participating Organizations

Academy of the Winds

Almost Home Wyoming

Apple Valley School

Big Brothers Big Sisters of Fremont County

Bighorn Restoration Group

Central Wyoming College Alpine Science Institute

Child Development Services of Fremont County

City of Lander New Park Lands

Community Entry Services

First Stop Help Center

Fremont Counseling Service

Fremont County Pioneer Association

Fremont County Search and Rescue

Fremont Symphony Orchestra

Good Samaritan Community Meal

Help For Health Hospice

Lander Art Center

Lander Care and Share Food Bank

Lander Children's Museum

Lander Christmas Baskets

Lander Climate Action Network

“I feel good about donating to Challenge for Charities because that money stays here locally. I could give money to any number of national charities, but that money then leaves our town. I want to support my neighbors—the people and organizations here in Lander.” Lonnie Bull, Edward Jones Financial Advisor

—

Platinum Challenger

Lander Community Concert Association

Lander Community Foundation

Lander Cycling Club

Lander Library Friends Association

Lander Masters Special Olympics

Lander Nordic Ski Association

Lander Pet Connection/Lander Pet Rescue

Lander Presents

Lander Spay and Neuter

Lander Swim Club

Lander Valley Farmers Market

Lander Womentum

Museum of the American West PALS (Promoting Arts in Lander Schools)

Pushroot Community Garden

The Nature Conservancy in Wyoming Water for Wildlife Foundation

Wind River Farm to Plate

WyoClimbers (Central Wyoming Climbers' Alliance)

Wyoming Outdoor Council

Wyoming Shakespeare Festival Company Wyoming Wildlife Federation

PROVIDING RESOURCES AND Meeting Community Needs

Lander Connected

This volunteer hub allows individuals, organizations, and businesses to connect with volunteers in our community. To date, we have trained 55 entities and dozens of individuals on using this free for all platform to list their volunteer needs.

The Independent Sector collects data and conducts research on volunteerism throughout the nonprofit sector of the United States.. The results are a way that nonprofits can calculate the value of volunteer time. In April 2021, the estimated value of one volunteer hour was $28.54. Since April 2020 when Lander Connected launched, LCF has facilitated and provided the following:

◊

Over 12,000 volunteer hours—a 12% increase in one year

Creating Educational Opportunities

Early in 2021, we surveyed the community and we did our best to fulfill their requests. We started a free Power Hour series that focused on basic but vital elements of operating a nonprofit. Topics ranged from fundraising 101, donor strategy and stewardship to grant writing and how to build a board of directors. These were steadily attended by local nonprofit staff, board, and volunteers.

◊

Approximately 4,000 additional hours of volunteer grocery shopping were provided through Lander Together, the locally organized grocery shopping group by Mr. D’s Food Center

Additionally, we realized that giving a more concentrated focus on a few topics was warranted and desired. We will continue to curate relevant workshops in the future. Whether we offer these educational opportunities or we contract out an expert, we believe it highly valuable service to provide to the community. We witnessed real growth and positive change in many groups that took advantage of these offerings.

◊

These volunteer hours equate to saving businesses and organizations approximately $343,000

◊

Lander Connected has 590 registered volunteers, a 430% increase since 2020

It is our hope to continue acting as the resource for Lander’s nonprofits and individuals by providing essential management tools in order for programs and services to continue for years to come.

LOOKING AHEAD To Our Future

Many of you know we have bright dreams for Lander and our community. We have already made a substantial commitment to integrating new and more efficient accounting and nonprofit portal services. With inevitable turnover, we want to ensure documents, applications, and statistics are kept in perpetuity to benefit these organizations.

We have spent hundreds of hours collecting and creating a digital cache of photos and videos. These are stills and shorts taken at Lander’s events, seeing volunteers in action, as well as capturing the spirit of Lander. You will see many of these improvements on our updated website.

We have more passion and ideas than time and resources allow us to turn into immediate reality! As a staff and board, we have created vital goals in our strategic plan.

These include:

1. Steadfast, continued support for our nonprofits

2. Building our organizational capacity to meet the needs of our philanthropic community

3. Pursuing financial growth and stability, and finally

4. Increasing visibility and exposure to broaden our audience. This is how YOU can help LCF!

HOW TO Give Back

You can count on us to think big for the betterment of Lander! We have lofty goals and we need you to help us reach them. There are many ways you can contribute to our efforts and make these goals a reality

◊ Give to the LCF Sustainability Fund. This unrestricted donation to LCF will allow us to extend our educational opportunities, implement technology and other systems and consult with Lander’s nonprofits to help them build and sustain their organization staff and board of directors.

◊

Be a Challenger and help build the Challenge for Charities Matching Fund. These dollars go to every participating nonprofit. You can make a Challenger contribution any time of year.

◊ Make an In-Kind donation. If you have a service you would like to donate please let us know!

◊

Add to our growing endowment.

◊

Become a Lander Legacy member by leaving LCF a bequest. Planned gifts create a valuable opportunity for you to leave a legacy in Lander. Establishing a planned or deferred gift to the Lander Community Foundation provides longterm support for the foundation’s mission to build a stronger Lander community through promoting philanthropy, strengthening the local nonprofit sector, and facilitating volunteerism. Donors who join the Lander Legacy Society now through 2023 will be recognized as Cornerstone Members.

“There are so many organizations that would not be where they are without the Lander Community Foundation. Some of these groups include First Stop Help Center, Lander Christmas Baskets, Almost Home Wyoming, and the Good Samaritan Community Meal. Hands down. We are extremely grateful for LCF’s work throughout our community.”

—

Photo: Stacy Stebner

Deanna Trumble, Executive Director, First Stop Help Center

Photo: Barabara McMahill

Matching Fund 2021

PLATINUM LEVEL | $20,000 + Anonymous

Frances Mortenson

Fremont Therapy Group

Lonnie Bull, Edward Jones

SILVER LEVEL | $5,000 - $9,999

Anonymous

George and Paula Hunker Rick and Janie Muir Jerry and Cassy Dierking Venters

BRONZE LEVEL | $1,000-$4,999

Artery Construction Bill and Jill Calder Central Bank & Trust Perry and Richard Cook Elemental Performance and Fitness Michelle Escudero and Scott Kane Fairview Foundation

First Interstate Bancsystem Foundation

First Interstate Bank

Fremont Orthopaedics, P.C. Andrew Gramlich and Jackie Nelson Rod and Mary Haper

Jeff Kimber and Precision Dirt Works

Michael Kotrick and Rita Neil

Stephen Kozlowski & Kimberly Donohue

Lander Dental Group, P.C. Lander Medical Clinic

Lander Rotary Club

Lander Valley Animal Hospital Langston Family Foundation Eric and Sandy Martinez Maven Outdoor Equipment Sandy Mossbrook Robert Nagy Deborah and Mark Nunnink Sky and Jan Phifer Michael and Atha Quinn Garth and Annie Reber Deborah Reguera and Bill Mayo Robert and Bonnie Sewell Robert Spengler STS Foundation Web Webster Whitco Blasting Wyoming Community Bank Wyoming Community Foundation

IRON LEVEL | UP TO $999

Ryan Allred Apple Valley School

Atlantic City Federal Credit Union Rich and Susan Brame

Craig Bromley

Leslie Calkins Cale Case

Michael Cheek and Kathy Brown Jennifer Dahnert

James and Sue Downham Stephen and Anna Erixon Richard F. and Babes Fagnant

Robert Fay Ron and RaJean Fossen Fremont Communications

John Gans and Stephanie Kessler Richard M Garrett Carolyn and Phil Gilbertson Charles Grayson Mary and Ariel Greene Molly and Bruce Hampton Carol Harper and John Laird Helen E. Higby Jamie Hudson

Dick and Celina Hudson

Justus Jacobs State Farm Insurance Agency Inc Eric Jacobsen Kimberly James Chris Jeffres

Jillyn Johnson Ron and Patti Kopriva Michael Kusiek Arlen and Staci Lancaster

Lander Area Chamber of Commerce Jake Landreneau

Dick and Julie Lefevre Eric Levy and Julia Fairbank Linda Lindsey and Monty Hettich

Janet Loyka

Jack Malmberg and Robin Levin Kathryn Martin Lori Mathews Karen and Steve Matson Clark and Lisa McCauley McDonalds

Meyers Gambles Inc. Gary Miller

NOLS Paint Systems LLC Nancy A Pieropan Joseph and Andrea Quiroz Rachel Rojeski Silver Spur Lanes Corinna Slingerland

Nan Slingerland Spear S Produce Tegeler Insurance

James and Dottie Tonkowich Trihydro Corporation Leslie and Scott Van Orman Rick and Jeni Vander Voet Missy White

Anonymous (5) Mike Bailey

Andrea Barbknecht

Rich and Susan Brame

Lowell Brams

Christopher Brauneis

Alice T. Brew

John Brown Carol and Bruce Campbell

Lori Carlson

Jordan Carr Barbara and Bruce Cartwright

Norm and Sue Cessna

Michael Cheek and Kathy Brown

Sandy Chio Eva Crane

Judi Davis

Dentures and Dental Care of Lander Cindy Estrada Bill Farthing

Marilyn Fisher

Ron and RaJean Fossen

Fremont Orthopaedics, P.C.

Friends of the Canyon

Wendy and Jason Gebhart

Dave Geible

Ariel and Mary Greene

Jennifer Hamilton

Gayla and Jeff Hammer

Molly and Bruce Hampton

Tim and Jen Hampton

Vanessa Joy Hitchcock

Michael Howe & Black Hills Energy Hart and Josey Jacobsen

Wayne and Linette Johnson

Carole Joyner

Elizabeth Kidner

Michael Kotrick and Rita Neill

Jennifer Lamb and Jim Hutchison

Arlen and Staci Lancaster

Lander Library Friends Association

Lander Rotary Club Dolores Langerman

Trillium Family Foundation

Don and Judy Legerski Shoshana Levin Eric Levy and Julia Fairbank

Christine Lichtenfels

Liz and Sam Lightner

Linda Lindsey and Monty Hettich

LOR Foundation

Hugh and Isabelle Lowham

Justin Loyka

Jim Margolis

Lori Mathews

Karen and Steve Matson

Clark and Lisa McCauley McCormick Marketing Erin McKinney

Joe & Deidre Meyer Kit Mitchell

Martha Mueller Jill Muilenburg and John Klinkenborg

Rick and Janie Muir Jacqueline Nelson John and Retha New Don and Dot Newton Deborah and Mark Nunnink Joel and Robin Otto Chuck Parmely Eric Perkins Douglas Pflugh Sky and Jan Phifer Lou Pope

Lorrie Pozarik and Ken Schreuder John Rader

Deborah Reguera and Bill Mayo

Betsy and Ken Richardson

Scott and Lesley Robeson Mark Roy Katherine Sauer

Drew Seitz

Dennis and Mary Selley

Robert and Bonnie Sewell Cyndy and Peter Simer

Corinna Slingerland

Carol Smith and Lander Together

Carol & Ron Smith

Clair Smith

Cynthia B. Stevens

Beverly Swistowicz

Shana Tarter and Steve Platz

The North Face VF Outdoor, LLC

Leslie and Scott Van Orman Margaret Viani Linda W. Wagner Jacob W Wallace Trey Warren & Householder Properties Web Webster Missy White

Cindy Wietzki

Wild Iris Mountain Sports Kevin L Wilson

Sandy Wilson

John Wood and Penny Mann

Jenna Ackerman

Ryan Allred

Amy Andersen & Tim Wilson

Anonymous (4) Artery Construction

Atlantic City Federal Credit Union

Jen Barrett

Jeff Bechtel

Rich and Susan Brame

Susan and Rich Brame

Craig Bromley

Edward Jones

Bill and Jill Calder

Leslie Calkins

Carol and Bruce Campbell Cale Case

Central Bank & Trust

Norm and Sue Cessna

Mike Charles Ray and Linda Charles

Michael Cheek and Kathy Brown

Colin Cikoski

Cody Regional Health

Dennis and Lucy Cone

Perry and Richard Cook

Julie and Paul Cornia

Eva Crane

Jennifer Dahnert

Lora Davidson and Chuck Kratz

Mary Margaret Davis

Gene and Charlotte Dehnert

James and Sue Downham

Elemental Performance and Fitness

Stephen and Anna Erixon

Michelle Escudero and Scott Kane

Richard F. Fagnant

Fairview Foundation

Bill and Karen Farthing

Robert Fay

First Interstate Bank Marilyn Fisher

Ron and RaJean Fossen

Kathleen and Aaron Foster

Maureen Fox and Apple Valley School

Fremont Communications

Fremont Orthopaedics, P.C.

Fremont Therapy Group

Friends of the Canyon

John Gans and Stephanie Kessler

Richard M Garrett

Carolyn and Phil Gilbertson

Andrew Gramlich and Jackie Nelson

Ariel and Mary Greene

Jennifer Hamilton

Molly and Bruce Hampton

Rod and Mary Haper

Carol Harper and John Laird Helen E. Higby Polly Hinds

Dick and Celina Hudson

Jamie Hudson George and Paula Hunker Eric Jacobsen

Chris Jeffres

Jillyn Johnson Carole Joyner

David Kallgren

Tim Kelly

Jeff Kimber & Precision Dirt Works

Miriam & Bill Klingsporn

Ron and Patti Kopriva

Michael Kotrick and Rita Neill

Stephen Kozlowski and Kimberly Donohue

Michael Kusiek

Arlen and Staci Lancaster

Lander Area Chamber of Commerce

Lander Dental Group, P.C.

Lander Family Medicine

Lander Rotary Club

Lander Valley Animal Hospital

Jake Landreneau

Langston Family Foundation

Edward Lee

Dick and Julie Lefevre

Don and Judy Legerski

Eric Levy and Julia Fairbank

Christine Lichtenfels

Linda Lindsey and Monty Hettich

Mad Dog and the Pilgrim Booksellers

Jack Malmberg and Robin Levin

Eric and Sandy Martinez

Lori Mathews

Karen and Steve Matson Maven Outdoor Equipment

Clark and Lisa McCauley McDonalds Meyers Gambles Inc. Gary Miller

Jill Moeller

Frances Mortenson Hayley Mortimer

Lorielle and Jade Morton Sandy Mossbrook

Karen Mott

Jill Muilenburg and John Klinkenborg

Rick and Janie Muir Robert Nagy

Bryan Neely

Don and Dot Newton

NOLS

Deborah and Mark Nunnink

Paint Systems LLC

Dale and Roberta Palmer Kathy Pappas

Andrew Pearson

Anne Peick

Mark and Rita Peterson

Sky and Jan Phifer

Nancy A Pieropan

Michael and Atha Quinn

Joseph and Andrea Quiroz

Deborah Reguera

Gates and Rachael Richards

Silver Spur Lanes

Tom and Peny Rogers

Rachel Rojeski

Amanda Sempert

Robert and Bonnie Sewell

Cyndy and Peter Simer

Corinna Slingerland

Nan Slingerland

Spear S Produce

Robert Spengler

Diane Springford

STS Foundation

Shana Tarter and Steve Platz

Tegeler Insurance

James Tonkowich

Trihydro Corporation

Trillium Family Foundation

United Methodist Women

United States Treasury

Leslie and Scott Van Orman

Rick and Jeni Vander Voet

Jerry and Cassy Venters

Jacob W Wallace

Mark Watkins and Susannah Bletner

Elizabeth Wattenberg Web Webster

Alyssa Wechsler

Mary Wendel

In-Kind Donations

Brad Christensen County10

Fagnant, Lewis, & Brinda, P.C.

Erin Freed

Friends of the Canyon

Matt Herr Lander Journal

McCormick Marketing, Inc.

Barbara McMahill

Rita Neill

Whitco Blasting

Missy White

Wild Iris Mountain Sports

Michael Wilderman

Dick and Bonnie Willhelm

Gary Wilmot and Aileen Brew

Kevin L Wilson

Sarah Wilzbacher and Anam Cara Giving"

Wind River Farm to Plate

Heather Wisniewski

Wyoming Community Bank

Wyoming Community Foundation

Wyoming Nonprofit Network

Deborah Reguera & Bill Mayo

Natalie Ryback

Emily Tilden

Jonathan Weaver

Western Printing