Our Approach
Our History
The Central Montcalm Community Foundation originally was known as the Central Montcalm Public School Foundation and was founded in 1992. It was brought about by the desire to continue the positive support for the school as demonstrated by the then recently completed sports complex. It initially consisted of 7 directors and over time has been increased to the present 12. In 1993 the Foundation applied to the Internal Revenue Service to become a 501 (c) (3).
The original purpose of the foundation was to supplement existing funds for school and related activities including academic, athletic or artistic in the Central Montcalm School District. This was accomplished by raising money, which went into an endowed fund where the principal is left untouched but the investment income generated annually from the endowment was used to give small grants and annual scholarships to Central Montcalm teachers and students.
Our assets grew from 0 in 1992 to $30,000.00 in 1997. In 1997 the Foundation applied to the State of Michigan to become a community Foundation. The original Foundation was recognized by the State as a Community Foundation in 1998 and the name was changed to reflect our current status. There were two primary reasons for this change: the desire to be able to assist in meeting the needs of the entire population in the Foundation's service area and a Community Foundation provides significantly greater opportunities and options for obtaining funds and support to expand the Foundation's asset base. This has allowed our assets to grow from the $30,000.00 in 1997 to over 20 times that amount currently. We have been able to increase our scholarships, community and educational grants from a few hundred dollars a year to several thousand dollars and to support a broad range of needy community programs.
Our Purpose
TO PROMOTE, ENCOURAGE, AID AND SUPPLEMENT FUNDS FOR EDUCATIONAL AND COMMUNITY ORIENTED PROJECTS IN THE CENTRAL MONTCALM AREA.
(The area is defined as all of those townships, which are wholly or partly served by the Central Montcalm School District.)
Annual Reports
For complete financial reporting and updates on the CMCF activities, please view the annual reports listed below:
2014 Annual Report
2015 Annual Report
2016 Annual Report
2017 Annual Report
2018 Annual Report
2019 Annual Report
2020 Annual Report
Our Story
Board of Directors
Ginger Gurecki, President 1999 - June 2022
Bill Simpson, Jr., Vice President 2016 - June 2022
Doug Seymour, Treasurer 2017 - June 2023
Mary Miel, Secretary 2002 - June 2023
Kristy Thwaites, Director 2004 - June 2022
Mary James, Director 2022 - June 2023
Sue Kearney, Director 2014 - June 2023
Amy Meinhardt, Director 2016 - June 2022
Jeni Williams, Director 2017 - June 2023
Mark Grossbauer, Director 2018 - June 2021
Heather Jacoby, Director 2018 - June 2021
Curtis Holt, Director 2019 - June 2022
Kyle Hamlin, Director 2020 - June 2023
Christy Holt, Executive Assistant
Tom Mall, Emeritus Director
Special Committees
Asset Development Committee: Curtis Holt, Doug Seymour, Bill Simpson, Kyle Hamlin
Public Relations & Outreach Committee: Sue Kearney, Jeni Williams, Bill Simpson
Scholarship Committee: Ginger Gurecki, Kris Thwaites, Mary Miel, Sue Kearney
Grants Committee: Ginger Gurecki, Kris Thwaites, Steve Russell, Amy Meinhardt, Jeni Williams, Marty James
Events Committee: Bill Simpson, Jeni Williams, Mark Grossbauer, Heather Jacoby, Kyle Hamlin
Past Directors:
Chuck Miel (92), Harold Springsteen (92), Judy Emmons (94), Tom Wall (93), Wayne Korson (92), Jack Jorgenson (98-2000), Bill Barnwell (98-01), Tom Rogers (99-02), Lewis Elijah (96-03), Norb Vandersteen (00-06), Chuck Hazekamp (07-08), Steve Dawdy (05-08), Bill Bode (98-09), Tad Simon (01-09), Connie McKeown, Kristi Theal (13-14), Kay Rasmussen (98), Gene Bliss (92-01), Kerry Kelly (97-02), Linda Bussell (01-02), Marilyn Thomsen (98-06), John Bussell (00-06), Roger Thelen (96-08), Lloyd Scoby (06-08), Sharon Bowers (01-09), Lisa Lund (06-12, 17-18), Chris Cierlak (11-14), Larry Duel (02-15), Dave Steere (10-16), Brenda Greenhoe, Vicki Korson (06-17), Jody Wolniewicz (15-18), Steve Swiecicki (08-18), Eric Rolston (15-17), Gale Parr (06-19), Ron Simon (17-20), Steve Russell, Director 2013 - June 2023, Franz Mogdis, Director 1993 - June 2023