During two separate events last week, the Wayne Area Legacy Fund (WALF) announced its latest fundraising campaign aimed at growing its unrestricted endowment.
With an impressive $200,000 already raised, the campaign is well on its way to reaching its ambitious goal of $300,000 by Dec. 31, 2026. This initiative, known as the "Gratitude Challenge," is a pivotal effort to secure charitable resources and continued growth of the Wayne Area community.
The Gratitude Challenge is driven by the generous support of local donors Dick and Becky Keidel, whose $100,000 matching gift sets the foundation for this campaign. Their challenge is further bolstered by an additional $50,000 match from the Nebraska Community Foundation, creating a powerful opportunity to enhance the Wayne Area Legacy Fund's endowment by a total of $450,000. This significant increase will ensure sustained support for various community projects and initiatives for generations to come.
Lead donors, with gifts of $25,000 or more toward the campaign, include Julie Claybaugh, Bill Claybaugh, Bob Ensz and Elkhorn Valley Bank.
The Keidels shared their story at both a Business After Hours event at the Wayne Country Club on Aug. 8 and during the weekly Chamber Coffee on Aug. 9.
“Becky and I are truly grateful to the community of Wayne, our home for 50 years,” Dick Keidel said. “It was not only a great business environment, but also a wonderful place to raise our children. With gratitude, we offer this challenge. Thank you in advance for your generosity as, together, we help ensure a strong Wayne America for future generations.”
Since its inception in 2017, the Wayne Area Legacy Fund has been dedicated to building a robust, permanent unrestricted endowment to benefit the Wayne Area community. The Fund has already reinvested over $85,000 back into the community, supporting projects such as the Wayne FFA beef project, Wayne Kids Club After School Program, Wayne Senior Center and technology improvements for local schools and community centers.
The Gratitude Challenge campaign aims to build on this success and ensure a strong, vibrant future for the Wayne Area.
“It has been the mission and vision of the Wayne Area Legacy Fund to be the catalyst and a source of funding to make Wayne County a great place to live, work, and play. Non-profits never seem to have enough money so we are thankful that we can help large and small entities fulfill their dreams! Money from the Challenge Grant will have a lasting impact on the quality of life both now and for future generations by providing grants to meet their needs” said Bill Dickey, seven-year member of the WALF funds advisory committee.
The campaign encourages a variety of giving options, allowing donors to contribute in ways that best suit their financial situations and philanthropic goals.
Current gifts can be made through cash donations, agricultural commodities, marketable securities and IRA contributions. Additionally, planned gifts through wills, trusts, or beneficiary designations offer a way for individuals to leave a lasting legacy while enjoying potential tax benefits.
“There are numerous giving opportunities to fit the desires and needs of those who are interested in helping the Wayne Area by enhancing the unrestricted endowment. Cash, IRA contributions, gifts of grain and ACH are common methods of giving, in the present, to the WALF. We are also seeing more people using opportunities to give to WALF in the future by making planned gifts. Conversations with financial advisors and estate planners can be helpful in making plans for giving to the Wayne Area Legacy Fund” says Karen Longe, current Chair of the WALF.
The Wayne Area Legacy Fund operates under the guiding principles of inspiring generosity, investing resources, identifying community needs, and involving everyone in the betterment of the Wayne Area. The Advisory Committee, composed of dedicated local members, plays a crucial role in fundraising and determining how the funds are distributed to maximize community benefit.
Karen Longe, Funds Advisory Committee (FAC) chair, explained, “Our WALF is run by a 100% volunteer Funds Advisory Committee (FAC). The FAC meets monthly to strategize on ways to educate our community about the benefits of building an unrestricted endowment, fundraising opportunities and processing grant applications to invest money into our community.
The current active Funds Advisory Committee includes Bill Dickey, Karissa Hays, Morgan Erwin, Mike Varley, Julie Claybaugh, Bill Claybaugh, Adam Endicott, Brandon Mainquist and Karen Longe. In 2023, the FAC organized an Estate Planning Workshop that was open to all members of our community, and it was well attended. We appreciate the opportunity to get in front of groups to educate and answer questions about the Wayne Area Legacy Fund.”
For more information on how to contribute to the Wayne Area Legacy Fund and be part of this transformative campaign, contact any of the FAC members listed above or email them at WayneAreaLegacyFund@gmail.com, or find them on Facebook at Wayne Area Legacy Fund. Please join us in making a lasting impact and securing the future of the Wayne Area community.
The Wayne Area Legacy Fund is an affiliated fund of the Nebraska Community Foundation, a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization.
Contact the group at : Wayne Area Legacy Fund, PO Box 163, Wayne, NE 68787; Email: WayneAreaLegacyFund@gmail.com. Website: www.WayneAreaLegacyFund.org
