Stratton foundation reaches $75,000 goal to match challenge grant

STRATTON -- The Stratton Community Foundation reached a goal of raising $75,000 by Feb. 28, 2010, meeting a second challenge from the Robert and Jeanette Hunt family, owners of Great Plains Communications.

Stratton residents had until Sunday evening to raise the final $2,000 of the challenge. "We made it," said Foundation board member Peggy McDonald, "with an extra $1,700 cushion."

"We talked to everybody we possibly could," Peggy said this morning. "People don't have to run now when they see one of us (the foundation board members) coming."

The community met the Hunt family's Phase One challenge by raising $75,000 by June 30, 2008, at which time the Hunts granted the community $25,000.

The Phase Two challenge kicked in then, and the Hunts offered an additional $5,000 (up to $25,000) for every $15,000 raised in donations. To be eligible for the full $25,000, the community needed to raise $75,000, and the deadline was Feb. 28.

Ultimately, from this Hunt family challenge and fund-raising effort, the Foundation will have a $200,000 endowment, with the funds earmarked for community development and betterment projects.

In the past, the Foundation has used funds to award college scholarships, and awarded grants to pay for updated electrical wiring in the Veterans Memorial Hall and for updates at Lakeview Lodge and to purchase shrubs for Main Street.

To make additional donations and pledges to the Foundation, contact any Community Foundation board member: Peggy McDonald, Ann Sutton, Beth Kollmorgen, Betty Golding, Pat Egle, Marilyn Goodenberger, Larry Forch Jr., Michael Pruter and Dustin Ladenburger.