Custer County Foundation Celebrates 30 Years with Music, Treats, and Money Machine! 

Custer County Foundation Celebrates 30 Years with Music, Treats, and Money Machine! 
Theresa White tries to grab cash in the money machine during the Custer County Foundation's 30 year celebration held in Broken Bow on August 12.

CUSTERY COUNTY—The Custer County Foundation, Inc. has been helping meet the needs of residents of Custer County since 1991 and it never ceases to give back, even while celebrating its own 30 year anniversary.

At the 30th anniversary celebration held in the Broken Bow city square on Thursday, August 12 the Custer County Foundation not only thanked the public for its contributions through the years with live music by South Loup Sunrise, Dilly bars, and giveaways, but it also donated an additional $1,500 back to Custer County.

“It is a beautiful night, great turnout, the band is amazing. I think it’s been fantastic. I think people are having fun and we’re supporting some great nonprofit organizations at the same time as celebrating our 30th anniversary!” Executive Director Lindsay Cook told KCNI/KBBN. “That’s the great thing about our board is they’re always looking for ways that we can give back so this was a fun way to give back to not only the nonprofits but the people who are just out here enjoying the evening,” she continued.

Custer County Foundation board members and Give 4 Custer County participating organizations

Four community members had their name drawn on Thursday night for a chance to collect as much money as he/she could grab in the money machine, all to be donated to one of the twenty-four Give 4 Custer County participating organizations.

Natalie Gaddy collected $205 for the Broken Bow Library Foundation, a Custer County youth by the name of Hannah collected $168 for Santa Cop, Theresa White caught $190 and donated to the Broken Bow Parent-Teacher-Association, and Julie Toline collected $223 and decided to have the money split between the Santa Cop and Broken Bow Backpack programs.

“It was fun! I was glad that I watched the people that went ahead of me because it gave me an idea of how to grab more money!” “I’m splitting it [$223] between Santa Cop and the Broken Bow Backpack program which sends food home for kids on the weekends (during the school year),” Toline said.

After all of the participants took their turn in the money machine, extra cash that had not been snagged was also donated to two groups drawn out of a list of participating organizations: $357 to the Broken Bow Optimists and $357 to the Sandhill Critters 4-H Club for a total of $1,500 donated on Thursday night.

Executive Director Lindsay Cook and Foundation Board President Alicia Hermsmeyer then presented checks to the Give 4 Custer County participating organizations

Alicia Hermsmeyer and Lindsay Cook present checks to Give 4 Custer County participating organizations. On the left, Brett Eggleston accepts check on behalf of the Callaway Assisted Living Building Fund.

“The Custer County Foundation board of directors wanted a fun way to celebrate turning 30 and decided a giving campaign would be a great way to celebrate our anniversary and also give back. Give 4 Custer County was then created. The board committed $30,000 for a matching pool to be distributed proportionally among the participating organizations,” Cook said during Thursday night’s check presentation.

Cook went on to thank Arrow Seed, Becton Dickinson, Palmer Monument, Sargent Irrigation, and Thomas Livestock on behalf of the board for donating to the matching pool, which reached a total of $47,500. Twenty-four nonprofits put in the work to raise more than $165,000. Combined with the matching pool, Cook and Hermsmeyer announced that $213,758.92 had been raised.

“Thank you Custer County for your generous support,” Cook said.

The Callaway Assisted Living Building Fund raised the most money in the amount of $50,463.54.

The Custer County Foundation, Inc. was officially organized in November of 1991 with the purpose of receiving and administering funds to meet the needs of residents of Custer County. The funds could be donated in the areas of civic, health, cultural, welfare, and educational improvements in the county. Many communities in Nebraska have benefited from the existence of the Custer County Foundation.

The Foundation has provided tax benefits to donors as well as scholarships, assistance for culture and the arts, park and recreational improvements, and contributions for social and family programs in the county. For more information on the Custer County Foundation, Inc., call 308-872-2232 or check out the website at www.custercountyfoundation.org. You can also find them on Social Media.

Custer County Foundation Board President Alicia Hermsmeyer and Executive Director Lindsay Divan along with the band South Loup Sunrise.
Veterans of Foreign Wars Post #3576
Custer County patrons enjoying the evening on August 12
Custer County Foundation past and present board members

 

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