Holiday Week Open Hours

From our family to yours, we wish you a happy and prosperous New Year in 2019. We are grateful for your commitment to CKCF through the year as a donor, volunteer and trusted partner, and we look forward to a successful year making a charitable difference in the communities we serve.

HOLIDAY HOURS

The office will be OPEN the following days. Please feel free to visit us or bring your end-of-year donations by during this time. 

December 26
December 27
December 28 (9 AM – 4PM)
December 31 (9AM – 12PM)

Mail donations, postmarked by December 31 to:
CKCF
301 N Main, Suite 200
Newton, KS 67114

Hillsboro Community Foundation Hires Director

Hillsboro Community Foundation and Central Kansas Community Foundation are pleased to announce the hiring of Bonnie Darwin as the Foundation’s new Director in Hillsboro.

Bonnie replaces Cynthia Fleming who served as Hillsboro’s Director from 2015 to 2018 and oversaw the growth of the Foundations assets to the 2.5 million.  This year the Foundation distributed $64,000 in grants to various nonprofit organizations and $9,200 to individuals in scholarships.

After attending Jost family reunions in Hillsboro for the past twenty-five years, Bonnie moved to Kansas. from Sacramento, California to be closer to her extended family. During her professional career in Sacramento, Bonnie worked with rural hospitals at the California Hospital Association and served as the Chief Consultant to the Committee on Aging for the lower house of the California Legislature.

Todd Jost, President of HCF, says “We are thrilled to have Bonnie join us as we strive to expand HCF’s work to enhance and sustain our community. We will miss Cynthia’s experience and knowledge, but we are excited by the passion and different perspective Bonnie is bringing to the post.”

Angie Tatro, Executive Director of CKCF, says “We are delighted to have Bonnie join us to continue the outstanding work of Hillsboro’s Foundation and look forward to the ideas she has to help rural communities thrive.” Tatro went on to say Hillsboro Community Foundation was established to promote and facilitate charitable giving in support of project/programs that enhance the quality of life in Hillsboro, Kansas. Then ended by stating “I am confident Bonnie will contribute greatly to this purpose.”

Hot Topic: Transfer of Wealth

What is Transfer of Wealth?

It is an estimate of the household estate wealth transferred from the current generation to the next. Researchers at Boston College conservatively estimated a $41 trillion transfer of wealth (TOW) in America from 2000 to 2050. The estimation of TOW is considered a possible future scenario for communities to consider; it is not a prediction or an absolute number about the future.

Immerse yourself in the full study, care of KACF, here.

Goessel Community Foundation Awards Scholarships

Two Goessel High School graduates were recently awarded scholarships by the Goessel Community Foundation, an affiliate of Central Kansas Community Foundation.

Gentry Thiesen was selected to receive the Joyful Noise Community Child Care Scholarship in the amount of $850.  The JNCCC award was established to provide financial assistance to a current graduate who plans to further their education at a private or public college/university.  Gentry attends Wichita State University and is pursuing a degree in Pre-Medicine.

Joshua Schmidt was awarded the Karen Rae McIntosh Teaching Scholarship in the amount of $500 on May 10 at the annual Goessel High School Awards Program. This scholarship is designated for graduates pursing a degree in education.  Joshua will attend Kansas State University in the fall and plans to pursue a degree in Physical Education.

The Goessel Community Foundation’s current fundraising campaign seeks to raise $117,000 for it local Impact Fund by the end of the year. If you want to be a part of meeting the needs of local charities or in support of one of these scholarship funds, please send your tax-deductible contribution to Goessel Community Foundation, P.O. Box 244, Goessel, KS 67053.

A 1995 Annuity Makes Community Impact

In 1995 Margaret E. (Reimer) Friesen recognized the plan to bring Newton Medical Center to Newton, Kansas was important to the community. She and her husband, William, established a single-life charitable annuity fund to support the efforts of the hospital in celebration of her 26-year career as a nurse.

Newton Healthcare Foundation, which later became Central Kansas Community Foundation, worked with Friesen to establish this charitable gift, that gives twice. For 30 years, Friesen received a semi-annual distribution from the annuity and now the remainder is given to charity. She restricted her gift, the remainder of the annuity, to Newton Medical Center.

“When I spoke with Margaret’s daughter, Michelle Friesen-Carper, about the annuity beneficiary she was delighted to learn the gift would be over $17,000,” said Angie Tatro, Executive Director of Central Kansas Community Foundation. Michelle went on to say how important nursing was to her mom who worked as a night supervisor until 1982.

Individuals like Margaret Friesen are building stronger communities through giving that matters. Connecting to each of our individual passions is what can make us all better. Margaret is a great example of that.

“Throughout her career in nursing, Margaret undoubtedly touched the lives of many. Now, through this generous financial gift, William and Margaret will continue to impact those at Newton Medical Center,” said Val Gleason, President and CEO of Newton Medical Center (NMC).

Gleason went on to say, “It (the gift) will allow us to provide nursing scholarships, so that other nursing professionals at NMC will have the opportunity for continued education. It will also help fund a new Memory Garden, an outdoor area for the patients and families of our Generations Unit. Through this gift and its designation, Margaret’s legacy of caring for others will live on in our community.”

If you want to learn more about how you can set up a charitable fund and make a difference to a cause that matters to you, please contact Angie Tatro at Central Kansas Community Foundation, 316-283-5474.

Friesen passed quietly in her sleep the morning of Sunday, Feb. 19, 2017 at Bethel Kidron Village, North Newton, Kansas. Margaret and her husband, William, had three children: Randall Friesen of St. Charles, Missouri, Michelle Friesen-Carper of Valparaiso, Indiana and Warren Friesen of St. Peter, Minnesota. Such with the cycle of life, this family began a time of mourning as they also rejoiced for a birth of another great-grandson, born 20 minutes after her death.

Check Presentation May 2, 2017

(First Row L to R: Todd Tangeman, NMC Chief Operating Officer & Chief Human Resources Officer; Heather Porter, NMC Associate Chief Clinical Officer; Val Gleason, NMC President & Chief Executive Officer; Angie Tatro, CKCF Executive Director; Jennifer Vogts, CKCF Board Member; Carrie Herman, CKCF Vice Chair. (Second Row L to R: Rod Kreie, CKCF Finance Chair; Mel Schadler, CKCF Board Member.

Halstead Community Foundation Awards Grant to the Kansas Learning Center for Health

The Kansas Learning Center for Health (KLCH) is pleased to announce the receipt of a $2,680.85 grant from the Halstead Community Foundation, an affiliate of the Central Kansas Community Foundation.  According to Carrie Herman, KLCH Executive Director, the grant will be used towards the updating of exhibits to continue inspiring Kansas’ students to make healthy choices.

The Halstead Community Foundation awarded the grant from the KLCH Endowment Fund that was created for the excusive benefit of the Learning Center to further its mission “To be a premier regional resource for quality health education.”  In addition to the KLCH Endowment Fund, the Halstead Community Foundation has other grants that have been established to invest in local service and community projects that focus on the enhancement of the Halstead community.

This past December KLCH received one of those grants of $980 to purchase a “Functional Heart and Circulatory System Model.”  This new model has an interactive component, which allows students and guests of all ages to experience the path of blood flow.  This new exhibit shows students the importance of keeping blood vessels in the heart and lungs functioning properly, giving them a clearer understanding of why healthy eating choices and exercise are essential to a healthy heart.

KLCH is a non-profit organization that was founded in 1965.  The KLCH also offers outreach programs where KLCH instructors provide curriculum-enhancing information that is both educational and entertaining.  It is our mission, “To be a premier regional resource for quality health education.” KLCH could not accomplish this without the philanthropic spirit of generous donors.  For more information, visit www.learningcenter.org or call the KLCH at 316-835-2662.