At the end of February, a $1,000 donation to Landmark Conservancy marked the final WESTconsin Credit Union Challenge celebration, a special initiative of the Community Foundation of Dunn County’s (CFDC) 25th Anniversary in 2020. This special initiative provided any fundholder who opened a new fund at the CFDC a $1,000 donation to a charity of their choice, up to 12 new funds.
The Building Healthy Communities Fund was opened by Megan Bayrd and Paul Horvath of Menomonie. This fund will fuel any health-related initiatives in Dunn County for years to come. Megan and Paul are firm believers that maintaining a healthy physical environment assists in maintaining healthy physical and mental health. As avid supporters of what was West Wisconsin Land Trust before a merger created Landmark Conservancy, this was the perfect choice for their WESTconsin Credit Union Challenge gift.
Megan said that she and her husband had made a matching donation to the West Wisconsin Land Trust through their employer at one point in their early tenure in the area.
“We’ve been longtime supporters of the conservancy,” Paul remarked.
Lindsey Ketchel, Executive Director of Landmark Conservancy explained that the organization now manages land in 20 counties following the merger of West Wisconsin Land Trust with Bayfield Regional Conservancy in 2019.
“We have been very blessed, very fortunate after the merger,” Lindsey said. “We are in a strong spot. We are very human focused, we want to get more humans out to be connected, but we are also deeply concerned with a loss of biodiversity.”
Lindsey went on to explain that their recent focus has been on targeting specific areas of biodiversity resilience building, as well as targeting land protection through conservation needs with private landowners and acquisition work.
“We cannot do this work without donations like this, so thank you very, very much,” Lindsey said.
Georgina Tegart, Executive Director of the CFDC summarized that Megan and Paul are just the type of people Lindsey mentioned.
“Megan and Paul consider all the aspects of community health that come into play, including our physical environment, local environment and national environment, especially our water supplies and our lakes and rivers,” Georgina said.
Bill Butsic, Board Chair of Landmark Conservancy emphasized that $500 of this donation will go directly towards the Devil’s Punchbowl Campaign which is currently in the process of raising funds to continue providing safe access to the Punchbowl, including transforming the current lower stairway to a modern, safer structure that will improve recreational experiences and safeguard ecological resources through better management of off-trail traffic.
To donate to the Devil’s Punchbowl Campaign, visit landmarkwi.org/punchbowl-campaign/. An online fundraiser will also be held March 22-26. Visit Landmark’s website for further information.
To donate to the Building Healthy Futures Fund through the CFDC, visit cfdunncounty.org/give/donate and select the “Building Healthy Communities Fund” from the dropdown menu of the donation form.
A check may also be sent to The Community Foundation of Dunn County, 800 Wilson Ave, Suite 235, Menomonie, WI 54751. Please include the fund name in the memo line.
It is the mission of the CFDC to inspire philanthropy and be a catalyst for strengthening communities throughout Dunn County. For more information about the CFDC or how you can become involved, call 715-232-8019 or email info@cfdunncounty.org.