In early February, Spring Valley Elementary School was surprised with a special $1,000 donation as part of the WESTconsin Credit Union Challenge. This Challenge was part of a special initiative for the Community Foundation of Dunn County’s (CFDC) 25th Anniversary in 2020, which provided new CFDC fund holders with a $1,000 gift to a charity of their choice.

Rich, Jeanne, Sue and Brian O’Connell decided to open a new fund to honor the memories of their parents, Isabelle and Bernard. The fund, entitled The Isabelle A. and Bernard A. O’Connell Endowed Charitable Fund, will directly benefit K-5 students as well as the music program at Spring Valley Elementary School.

This fund will assist in covering expenses related to general elementary education as well as developed experiences of the music program, including singing, playing instruments, listening, movement, creative expression and music reading.

Education and music were a large part of Isabelle’s life. In her youth, she learned how to play piano and continued to apply that passion as an adult while raising her family, helping on the farm and teaching in Pierce County. She became a choir director at St. Joseph’s Catholic Church in El Paso, Wisconsin and later joined the Ecumenical choir in Elmwood, Wisconsin. For many years, she and Bernard participated in those concerts throughout the county. Isabelle spent 36 years of her life as an educator, including over 20 years as a 4th grade teacher.

Although in her later years, Isabelle suffered declining vision which halted her ability to read music and enjoy other hobbies, she always enjoyed listening to music, which was present daily in her home. Isabelle was listening to music playing in the background as she peacefully passed away in April 2019.

Isabelle and Bernard’s family decided to open a fund that would preserve their memory in the community in which they spent their lives growing up. Providing the Spring Valley Elementary School with an everlasting stream of income was the perfect way to make that happen, and the $1,000 WESTconsin Credit Union donation was the cherry on top.

“We wanted to express our gratitude and thank you for contributing this generous gift for us,” Donna Schwartz, a Spring Valley Elementary Music program instructor said. “We all really appreciate it and we will put it to good use for all of our students and our music program.”

Georgina Tegart, Executive Director of the CFDC, added: “Isabelle brought value to every single life she touched and it’s just so special and wonderful what the O’Connell Family is doing for this school. The children will now benefit forever because of this fund. It is a gift that will just keep on giving.”

Donations to this fund can be made by visiting our donation page at cfdunncounty.org/give/donate. Use the dropdown menu to select the Isabelle A. and Bernard A. O’Connell Endowed Charitable Fund. A check may also be mailed 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.