Crofton Community Foundation Information

(Click HERE for Contributions/Memberships)
(Click HERE for Meeting Minutes)

CURRENT CHALLENGES

  • Lewis & Clark Area Development, Inc.
  • Sprakel Farms and Sports Stop
  • Kayton Donates $1,000
  • FOUNDATION GETS FIRST GIFT OF GRAIN

    • MISSION STATEMENT
    The Crofton Community Foundation would like to establish a financial base for the citizens of Crofton and the surrounding area so they can continue to have a prosperous community and strive to add to the betterment of the area.

    HOW YOU CAN HELP
    The Crofton community Foundation Fund is working to build a nest egg and to create a culture of giving. It's a process for a city, village or a town - like growing up. Once the practice of giving by community residents is repeated a few times and watched by other residents, it becomes woven in the very life of the community. This is why your contribution or pledge is important and will have a lasting impact on the Crofton community. The Crofton Community Foundation Fund needs your support as we start a membership drive. Your tax deductible membership is a chance to give back to Crofton and your people. The Crofton Community Foundation Fund will accept donation of any size at any time. Annual memberships at different levels are also available as follows:

  • $100 - Individual
  • $150 - Family
  • $200 - Business, Farm or Organization
  • Builders Club - $1,000 or more annual gift
  • Founders Club - $10,000 gift or pledge over a period of 10 years, lifetime membership

    • There are several opportunities for future growth for the Crofton fund. Challenge grants can be created from other funding. Bequests are accepted as well as donor funds. Gifts of life insurance can be arranged also. Gifts of grain from the farming community will be very welcome. Alumni associations can be a very active part of the fund with honored classes challenging each other from year to year.

    The Crofton Community Foundation Fund wants to leave a lasting impression so the community and rural area well reap bountiful rewards, which will affect the lives of family and friends who will follow in our footsteps for years to come. Keeping the community strong and progressive will attract younger families who will make a positive impact on the Northern edge of Knox County.

    As a starter project, the Crofton Community Foundation Fund is making plans to install a marquee sign along Hwy 12 and we invite area residents to join our project and make it come to life. Remember the monies which the Crofton Community Foundation Fund raises, stays in the Crofton community. We hope to make improvements in the city's two parks and even a museum is being talked about. We sincerely hope you join in the conversation.

    Consider giving one of the committee members a moment of your time and listen to all the good things which can come from this community project and ask how you can help make this foundation a success.

    Please download THIS PDF FORM for more information on contacts and how to join or make a donation.


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    CROFTON COMMUNITY FOUNDATION FUND ISSUES CHALLENGE
    Click HERE to download the flyer (pdf)

    There’s a challenge in place in Crofton.
    The Lewis & Clark Area Development, Inc., has pledged a gift of $5,000 to the Crofton Community Foundation Fund (CCFF).
    But, the community of Crofton, both in and out of town, have to step up to the plate and match the gift before the local business will write the check.
    At the ‘coming out’ party last April in the Argo, several local residents made commitments to the CCFF through membership pledges and donation pledges. Every week, a list of contributors to the CCFF who have taken that step forward to ensure the future of Crofton, will be printed in the Journal.
    Together as a community, let’s make the matching $5,000 a reality and start the process of growing our foundation.
    Remember, Contributions or donations can be small or large, memberships or life insurance policies, estate memorials or gifts of grain from area farmers. Especially at this time of year when another bountiful harvest is underway, we ask area farmers to carefully think about gifting grain to the foundation.
    Working together, Crofton can achieve this small footstep to build the CCFF endowment or contribute some working capital for city-wide improvements.
    Any CCFF committee member is able to assist any donation or pledge, gift or estate memorial. The CCFF committee members include: Mick Reifenrath, De Carlson, Doyle Stevens, Terry Mueller, Charleen Buschkamp, Michael Guenther, Jon Zavadil and Jay Haberer. They are very ready to talk about the Foundation and eager to get the ball rolling. Contact them today.


    Crofton Community Foundation Fund
    Contributions and Memberships
  • Mick and Kathy Reifenrath
  • Downtown Auto
  • Buschkamp Farm
  • Sprakel Farms
  • Sprakel Sports Stop
  • Mike and Terry Mueller
  • Doc and De Carlson
  • Doyle and Joyce Stevens
  • Allan and Irma Arens
  • Jon Zavadil
  • Farmers & Merchants State Bank
  • Al and Debby Larson
  • Alice Stevens
  • Vern and Rose Wuebben
  • Charlie and Judy Guenther
  • Craig and Heidi Marsh
  • Bill Hesse
  • Glenn and Mary Loecker
  • Diane Goudy
  • Gary and Karen Poppe
  • Ken and Mary Thoene
  • Joannie Keller
  • Frank Potts gift of grain
  • Kevin & Monda Kohles in memory of David Sandstedt
  • Joseph Dreesen and Conney Prawer in honor of parents, Kenny and Rosie Dreeesen and Bill and Toyo Prawer
  • Wesley Zart
  • Tom and Tara Pavlik
  • Crofton Historical Society
  • Donald and Arlyce Ausdemore
  • Doc and De Carlson in memory of Dean and Katherine Caylor
  • Gladys (Leader) Johnson
  • Francis and Sharlene Guenther, In memory of Jim Thunker
  • People’s Grocery in memory of Jim Thunker
  • Francis and Sharlene Guenther and memory of Jim Thunker
  • Ralph and Lillian Heger
  • Melba Jessen
  • Ryan and Janel Loecker
  • John and Ruth Seaman
  • Doc and De Carlson in memory of Avon Haas
  • Roger Smith and Ruth Ann Grimm in memory of Lola Smith
  • American Legion Post 128
  • John & Dorothy Case
  • Doyle Stevens Construction
  • Matthew & Martha Lee Heyne
  • Marvin & Verlyn Nohr
  • Kevin's Plumbing Service
  • Don & Kathy Meink


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    Sprakel Farms and Sprakel Sports Stop issue Challenge

    The Crofton community has just been issued another challenge.

    Sprakel Farms and Sprakel Sports Stop has pledged a very generous donation of $500 to the Crofton Community Foundation Fund.

    Now, the Sprakel families are turning up the heat. They are challenging Crofton businesses and area farmers to match their $500 gift. A gift of 100 bushels of corn right now at current commodity prices would meet that challenge. It can be dropped off at the Crofton Elevator and ear-tagged for the Crofton Community Foundation Fund.

    It sounds easy and it is. The benefits to the Crofton Community in the future will be a lasting reminder of the area generosity.

    This donation from the Sprakel Families will give the CCFF a push toward the $5,000 gift from the Lewis & Clark Area Development, Inc. group. This $5,000 gift has to be matched by community funds by March of 2012 before the L&C group will hand the money over. Matching gifts from area businesses and farmers can make this a reality.

    A CCFF thermometer will be erected on the lawn on the east side of Farmers & Merchants State Bank so everyone can see how much is in the fund and how fast Crofton gets to the top.

    Let’s make the bubble burst and spill out. Crofton Community Foundation Members are: Mick Reifenrath, De Carlson, Doyle Stevens, Terry Mueller, Charleen Buschkamp, Michael Guenther, Jon Zavadil and Jay Haberer. They are very ready to talk about the Foundation and eager to get the ball rolling. Call them today.


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    FOUNDATION CHALLENGE HEATING UP - Kayton Donates $1,000
    The Crofton Community Foundation Fund (CCFF) challenge recently issued to the community of Crofton and surrounding area heated up a couple more notches last week even as the weather turns to the winter months.

    The Lewis & Clark Area Development, Inc., pledged a gift of $5,000 to the Crofton Community Foundation Fund (CCFF) at the end of September. A challenge from Sprakel Farms and Sprakel Sports Stop to Crofton businesses to match their $500 gift was given in the middle of October.

    Last week, Kayton, Inc., chipped in another $1,000 to the challenge pot and the matching funds for the CCFF are halfway there.

    But let’s not stop there. Keeping the wealth in Crofton and its farming community will positively impact our Knox County area for many years into the future. The growth of the CCFF will enable residents to make improvements for keeping Crofton alive.

    There’s a lot of work to be done around town. Everyone knows the swimming pool, open for business in 1970, is showing wear and tear after 40 years of water fun. Growing the foundation makes future grants to community projects like pool improvement a reality in the future. The South Park was enhanced with playground equipment this past summer but now it’s time to turn our eyes to the North Park. A marquis welcoming visitors to the city and announcing activities would be a great benefit.

    Funding those types of projects is a huge task for the city fathers, especially when we all know, budgets and money is tight. The city needs help. Through the volunteer efforts of community residents and generous donations, the work can get done.

    It’s all about pride; pride in Crofton, pride in the way the city looks and pride in all of us for contributing to a successful city, worth living in and working for.

    The future of Crofton is up to us. Following the leadership of the CCFF committee will make Crofton shine. Talk to a CCFF committee member today: Mick Reifenrath, De Carlson, Doyle Stevens, Terry Mueller, Charleen Buschkamp, Michael Guenther, Jon Zavadil and Jay Haberer.


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    FOUNDATION GETS FIRST GIFT OF GRAIN
    By Linda Wuebben

    The Crofton Community Foundation Fund received its first gift of grain this week and also announces the creation of a grain fund at the Crofton Elevator.

    A big thank you goes out to Al and Debby Larson for their donation of 200 bushels of grain to the CCFF through Herbert Feed & Grain of Verdigre, which will start the ball rolling for grain gifts. With current grain prices, this is a very valuable donation.

    Don’t look now, but the CCFF is moving right along and the $5,000 challenge put forth by the Lewis & Clark Area Development Inc., is close to being 50 percent matched, But the community of Crofton needs to keep the donation ‘mojo’ going.

    There’s work to be done around the community and both city and rural residents are needed to make the future of Crofton stay strong. It’s also important to keep the wealth of the Crofton area here where it can keep the city up-to-date with better facilities in the park and in the downtown area.

    Building a community foundation here in Crofton like neighboring communities in Knox County makes it possible for residents, both current and former, to thank their hometown. It’s a vehicle for people to remember Crofton with a generous gift; even those who have moved on with their lives but keep Crofton as a special place in their heart.


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    FOUNDATION MEETING MINUTES

    Our Crofton Community Foundation Fund committee members held their monthly meeting on January 10th at the Sports Stop. Among the monthly agenda items, they reviewed the status of the current fund raising drive to initially build a permanent endowment fund. The endowment fund is a permanent investment account, which is similar to a personal investment account, where the principle remains in the account and grows through investments managed by the Nebraska Community Foundation. The Nebraska Community Foundation helps Crofton manage our local foundation and manages the investments. Once the foundation has built-up the endowment and starts receiving returns, Crofton’s Foundation will then return the money made back to the community. Some examples of what the foundation can provide is money for our youth in scholarships, park projects, city improvements, assistance to other community organizations or specific improvements the committees feel are most appropriate. The endowment is very important to the future of Crofton and the future of Crofton’s foundation, and is a permanent asset to the community.

    The current fundraising has been a great success thanks to all the residents and non-residents that have donated money and gifts of grain. Currently the drive is well on the way of achieving its goal and we still have until March 25th to raise enough to match a $5,000 donation made by the Lewis and Clark Economic Development Company. The Crofton elevator has an account in place to make it simple for anyone considering a grain donation, plus a grain donation is tax deductible. All donations are tax deductible. Money donations can be mailed to Crofton Community Foundation Fund at PO Box 52, Crofton NE 68730.

    Look for the thermometer sign in front of the bank to be updated. Also the sign will be moving to some area business, so keep your eyes open and see if you can find its next location.

    The Crofton Community Foundation Fund meets once a month in various locations in town. It’s an informal, come-as-you-are-type of meeting. The Foundation is represented by a variety of business people, town people and farmers. However the foundation would prefer to have more representation from area agriculture and farming, our mainstay of the community. Therefore anyone interested in joining the Crofton Community Foundation Fund Committee please contact any of the committee members.

    Thanks to everyone for the support and donations, we are all building a better future for Crofton.

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    Last Updated ( Monday, 19 March 2012 16:34 )