Stay informed of the latest happenings at the Eau Claire Community Foundation.

ANNOUNCING A NEW FUND, SS Safari All Star Fund

Donor Bonnie Wright of Altoona, Wisconsin has started a new fund at the Eau Claire Community Foundation, honoring her beloved Golden Retriever dogs, Saxon and Sadie (shown in photo). Saxon and Sadie both died fron an aggressive cancer called Hemangiosarcoma which can go undetected until the animal dies without warning. During their lives, they asked nothing but to serve, protect, and provide uncontitional love to their owner. She has grieved their loss and established this fund in their memory for charitable purposes. She has named the fund the SS Safari All Star Fund and created the following mission statement to guide her decisions about granting from her fund:

To provide funding for canine foster and shelter training both for the
   dogs and for those that provide shelter and homes

To provide funding for canine cancer research specific to
   Hemangiosarcoma and lymphoma where a portion of the fund will
   support early detection and treatment

To provide funding to have a trainer on-site in shelters to provide
   training that reduces the level of stress and provides enrichment within
   the shelters

To establish within the facilities testing systems that better match
   adopters and dogs

To educate adopters of the dogs and broaden that education to the
   general public about the responsibility of owning a pet so surrenders
   of dogs are brought to a minimum and abuse as a result of naivety and
   ignorance is eliminated

To provide funding for the older dogs that may need hospice care and
   transition in a comfortable home so the last thing they experience is the
   love of a human by their side

Contributions to the SS Safari All Star Fund are welcome and will help the fund grow. The Eau Claire Community Foundation will use this Field of Interest Fund to make grants to non-profit organizations that have programs that fulfill Bonnie's mission.

Children's Legacy Luncheon

SAVE THIS DATE: Thursday, April 22, 2010, 11:30 AM - 1 PM
Children's Legacy Luncheon at The Florian Gardens

The Children's Legacy Luncheon raises awareness of issues critical to the
well-being of children and recognizes individuals in our community who have made lasting contributions to the lives of youth through philanthropy, advocacy, volunteerism, and mentoring. The 2009 Honorees were Naomi Harris, Marvin Lansing, Ph.D., Bob Lesniewski, Carolyn Pritchett, Emilio Rinaldi, and Barbara and Alvin Rolland. Luncheon proceeds benefit the Children's Legacy Fund at the foundation. The Eau Claire Community Foundation further recognizes each honoree by making a grant to his or her favorite children's charity in the Greater Eau Claire Area.

In photo (left to right): Alvin Rolland, Barbara Rolland, Bob Lesniewski, Naomi Harris, Emilio Rinaldi, Marv Lansing, Carolyn Pritchett

Major sponsors for the 2009 Children's Legacy Luncheon included Luther Midelfort Mayo Health System, Sacred Heart Hospital, Marshfield Clinic, Tom & Jill Barland, Charter Bank, Commonweal Development Corporation, Rich & Nikki Hanna, Junior League of Eau Claire, Marv Lansing, Marcia Larson, Leland & Ann Mayer, Peoples Bank of Wisconsin, McDonough Manufacturing Company, Emilio Rinaldi, and Wipfli LLP.

WOMEN'S GIVING CIRCLE

The Women's Giving Circle, a fund of the Eau Claire Community Foundation, recently recommended four projects to receive grants totaling $12,530, and the recommendations were approved by the Foundation's Board of Trustees in September, 2009. The Women's Giving Circle chooses projects that benefit women and/or children in our community.

Teen Parent Education: The Family Resource Center for Eau Claire County will provide parent education, support, and assistance to teen mothers and their children in the local high schools. The participants will be better equipped to the challenge of raising a child, and be more likely to raise healthy children in the future. At least 30 teen mothers will be served by this program.

Weekend Kids' Meals: This program of Feed My People Food Bank will expand a program started in 2006, which provides nutritious food for two breakfasts and two lunches which school age children can take home over the weekend when school-based meals are not available. The expanded program will provide the same service for all students enrolled the Eau Claire Area School District's Head Start sites. Research has shown that food security for children enhances their health, attendance in school, and academic success.

Empowering Women Through Savings: Literacy Volunteers-Chippewa Valley will use grant money to provide women who are living in poverty with knowledge and skills about financial literacy and basic financial functions, such as budgeting, borrowing, comparison shopping, and saving. Participants will work one-on-one with a financial planner.

The Community Table - A Family Table: The goal of this program is to make the Community Table a family friendly space where participants can connect with existing services and local resources. Additional components of the program include family nutrition classes in addition to healthy meals, and a Children's Corner where children can play and learn in a safe, supervised place at the site during mealtimes.

Clear Vision Eau Claire

Planning Ahead for a Bright Future
Clear Vision Eau Claire is based on the belief that active and meaningful citizen involvement in planning the future of our community will result in a commitment to make the desired future a reality. The current issues facing the Eau Claire area extend beyond the capabilities of any single organization. To create a broad vision, a collaborative strategic planning process was needed. Concerned citizens representing business, education, government, and non-profit organizations throughout Eau Claire County stepped up and formed Clear Vision Eau Claire.

Over the past year, approximately 215 citizen stakeholders were charged to creatively picture what our ideal community should look like in 2020, and then determine how to “paint” that picture. They did both. The process required many months of commitment; numerous meetings; and countless hours of discussion, collaboration, and consensus among these stakeholders who represented the broadest cross-section of our community. In this process, we all learned more about our community, our region, and each other.

View the Clear Vision Eau Claire Report.
Learn more at www.clearvisioneauclaire.org.