Family pledges $10,000

HAYES CENTER -- Former Hayes Center residents Van and Jan Korell of McCook and AmFirst Financial Services, Inc. have pledged a total of $10,000.00 to the Hayes County Community Foundation in memory of Don and Shirley Leffler.

The gift is being directed to the Ambulance Fund and the Community Recreation and Beautification Fund. The pledge is over a five-year period, and the first $2,000.00 yearly installment has already been received, according to Joey Large of the Hayes County Community Foundation.

Korell, President and CEO of both AmFirst Financial Services, Inc. and AmFirst Bank in McCook, worked for the Lefflers at the First National Bank of Hayes Center, beginning in 1972.

"They took me under their wings and had a great influence on my life," Korell said. "They allowed me to be a part of their organization."

Shirley's father owned the bank before the Lefflers, who both became involved in the bank's management after World War II. The Lefflers, both natives of Hayes County, retired in the 1980s, and the bank became AmFirst in 1989.

Van and Jan Korell lived in Hayes Center about 20 years, until moving to McCook. Their four children grew up in Hayes Center, with the two oldest graduating from Hayes Center High School.

Korell said he and Jan chose the ambulance fund and the recreation and beautification fund because "to have a viable community, you have to have emergency services and quality of life like youth recreation."

The other fields of interests for the Foundation include tourism, the environment, cemetery, public facilities and scholarships, Large said.

The Leffler memorial is the first substantial gift to the Hayes County Community Foundation. It was established as an affiliated fund with the Nebraska Community Foundation in August 1996. Large said that residents and former residents are encouraged to become a member of the Foundation. During August and at the Hayes County Fair, a promotion is being conducted, with $79 yearly memberships.

The Nebraska Community Foundation works with donors and communities throughout Nebraska, to help residents and former residents give charitable donations to their hometowns.

It serves community, organization and donor-advised funds operating in 146 communities in 69 counties.