For Immediate Release:
West Bend, WI – December 18, 2024
West Bend COLUMNS Scholarship Foundation was selected by the West Bend Community Foundation (WBCF) as the recipient of this year’s Founders Day Award.
“COLUMNS is a tremendous asset to the community,” said Claire Rolfs, president of the WBCF Board of Directors. “It touches so many people, and affects people in a very positive way. We felt that COLUMNS was just a natural choice for the award.”
COLUMNS gives scholarships to graduates of West Bend East and West Bend West High Schools. It was founded in 1972 as a merger of two organizations that had roots dating back to 1926. Scholarships are awarded to students pursuing further education in both academic and
technical fields of study. The Founders Day honor, which included a cash award of two thousand dollars, was presented to COLUMNS at a celebration in November.
“The West Bend Community Foundation and the COLUMNS Scholarship Foundation are two incredible organizations, and our community is so blessed to have them both,” said Rose Petitte, president of the COLUMNS Board of Directors. “I have the privilege of being active on
the boards of both of these organizations, so it was especially meaningful to me when the Community Foundation chose Columns for their Founders Day award.”
Founded in 1999 by Cliff Nelson and Doug Ziegler in 1999, WBCF is celebrating its 25th anniversary this year.
“We have grown in 25 years,” Rolfs said. “Not only have we grown in the amount of money managed and given, but in the number of institutions that have agency and donor-directed funds with us. Today, the foundation is worth 83 million dollars, which allows for over three million dollars available to this community every year.”
“It’s really about service to the community and to Washington County,” Rolfs said. “There aren’t many communities of 30,000 that have this kind of support. This is a community that is unique, having the Community Foundation and having COLUMNS that gives close to a million dollars in scholarship money each year, this just doesn’t happen in most places. To have institutions like COLUMNS is a big deal.”
In addition to supporting COLUMNS with this award, this year, WBCF sponsored the Holiday Pops Concert which COLUMNS hosts each year as a benefit for scholarships. The Milwaukee Symphony Orchestra travels to West Bend to perform a holiday concert in the Silver Lining Arts Center at the West Bend High Schools. The concert, which includes a sing-along, is a popular holiday tradition, and sold out the more than 1,000-seat theater.
“We can’t thank the West Bend Community Foundation enough,” said Kristin Bayer, Executive Director for COLUMNS. “Their sponsorship means that every dollar in ticket sales can be used to provide scholarships for our young people. It’s a very generous gift, and makes a big
difference for the students.”
WBCF supports non-profits throughout the county. One of its most recent and ambitious projects is a Community Initiatives Program to address the overwhelming need for childcare in the area. WBCF, in partnership with Moraine Park Technical College and Washington County, has pledged $400,000 over the next three years to teach, train and place early childhood caregivers. “We put this coalition together, and we’re really proud of it,” Rolfs said.
ABOUT THE WASHINGTON COUNTY COMMUNITY FOUNDATION
The West Bend Community Foundation (WBCF) is a permanent charitable endowment that inspires, encourages, and supports enduring donor legacies for the betterment of the Greater West Bend Community. It was founded in 1999 by the late Clifford A. Nelson and R. Douglas
Ziegler. These men were good friends who had a vision to serve the needs of the community in perpetuity. With their tremendous financial donation, the West Bend Community Foundation was created, and the foundation continues to grow through the generosity of individual donors and local foundations. For more information, contact [email protected] or 414-336-7072. westbendfoundation.org
ABOUT COLUMNS
West Bend COLUMNS is a scholarship foundation that awards academic and technical scholarships to students graduating from West Bend East and West High Schools. Founded in 1972, the organization has roots dating back to 1926. COLUMNS, along with other local foundations and organizations, present over $800,000 in scholarships to more than 150 students at the West Bend High Schools each year. Scholarships are awarded based on evidence of character, leadership and determination, academic standing, and financial need, as well as meeting the specific requirements of the individual donor. Membership in West Bend COLUMNS is open to anyone who believes in advancing the education of our children. For more information, contact [email protected] or 262-297-3905. wbcolumns.org
