Woodbury, MN � A new venue, sunny skies and a strong showing of support enabled the Ideal CU Community Foundation to raise a record $16,800 at its fifth annual golf tournament on September 8, 2014, which was $3,000 more than the previous year. The event, held at StoneRidge Golf Course, attracted 127 golfers and 41 event and hole sponsors.� The foundation will use the funds to aid local education, food shelf and community initiatives.
During the tournament dinner, participants heard from one of the recipients of foundation funds, Tartan High School DECA advisor Craig Spreiter. Spreiter said a lot of times foundations raise money, but the people who support and donate dont have any real connection to how that money is used or being spent other than through a bulleted list in a report.
"As a teacher I can share with you how much of an impact the foundation and this tournament today have had. The foundation has donated over $3,000 this past year to Tartans Relay for Life fundraiser, our BPA program and to Tartan DECA. Six of my DECA students advanced to the International Conference last May and two of them almost didnt go because of the cost; $1,500 of that donation went to those students and one went on to win 5
th place in the Professional Selling event. Without that donation he wouldnt have been there," Spreiter stated.
Spreiter also spoke about the successful "Money Talks" educational series, developed in partnership with Tartan student and school leaders. The peer-to-peer program, led by Ideal CU Student Credit Union employees, is designed to teach students the building blocks of personal finance. The sessions focus on the key pillars of financial education: budgeting, savings and investments, credit, and money management tools. Nearly 80 students have completed the program to-date. Funding for the program has come from both the Ideal Community Foundation and the Minnesota Credit Union Foundation.
Kristina Wright, Executive Director at the Minnesota Credit Union Foundation, told attendees she is impressed with the breadth and the depth of the program Ideal has implemented. "For me, one of the most impressive pieces of what Ideal is doing is the emphasis they put on peer education. The in-school credit union allows students to teach other students and encourage them to make wise decisions with their money. �Through classroom presentations and the education provided in the Money Talks series, Ideal Credit Union and the support of the Ideal Foundation is doing really great, innovative things and more importantly educating the next generation of consumers to be fiscally responsible," Wright said.
Ideal Community Foundation Chairman Brian Sherrick expressed his appreciation for the turnout and generosity of participants. "We are extremely grateful for the ongoing support of our vendor partners, credit union colleagues, board members and executive staff in helping to make this fifth annual event a tremendous success," Sherrick stated. "Thanks to their participation, generous raffle donations and sponsorships, our endowment fund continues to grow and will enable the foundation to continue its mission to strengthen and improve the quality of life in our local communities."
Established in 2005, Ideal Community Foundation is a nonprofit 501 (c) (3) serving the greater Twin Cities metro area. It operates under the guidance of a Board of Directors, which oversees its financial management, sets policies and procedures for fundraising and grant making in accordance with its by-laws and mission.
Woodbury, MN � A new venue, sunny skies and a strong showing of support enabled the Ideal CU Community Foundation to raise a record $16,800 at its fifth annual golf tournament on September 8, 2014, which was $3,000 more than the previous year. The event, held at StoneRidge Golf Course, attracted 127 golfers and 41 event and hole sponsors.� The foundation will use the funds to aid local education, food shelf and community initiatives.
During the tournament dinner, participants heard from one of the recipients of foundation funds, Tartan High School DECA advisor Craig Spreiter. Spreiter said a lot of times foundations raise money, but the people who support and donate dont have any real connection to how that money is used or being spent other than through a bulleted list in a report.
"As a teacher I can share with you how much of an impact the foundation and this tournament today have had. The foundation has donated over $3,000 this past year to Tartans Relay for Life fundraiser, our BPA program and to Tartan DECA. Six of my DECA students advanced to the International Conference last May and two of them almost didnt go because of the cost; $1,500 of that donation went to those students and one went on to win 5th place in the Professional Selling event. Without that donation he wouldnt have been there," Spreiter stated.
Spreiter also spoke about the successful "Money Talks" educational series, developed in partnership with Tartan student and school leaders. The peer-to-peer program, led by Ideal CU Student Credit Union employees, is designed to teach students the building blocks of personal finance. The sessions focus on the key pillars of financial education: budgeting, savings and investments, credit, and money management tools. Nearly 80 students have completed the program to-date. Funding for the program has come from both the Ideal Community Foundation and the Minnesota Credit Union Foundation.
Kristina Wright, Executive Director at the Minnesota Credit Union Foundation, told attendees she is impressed with the breadth and the depth of the program Ideal has implemented. "For me, one of the most impressive pieces of what Ideal is doing is the emphasis they put on peer education. The in-school credit union allows students to teach other students and encourage them to make wise decisions with their money. �Through classroom presentations and the education provided in the Money Talks series, Ideal Credit Union and the support of the Ideal Foundation is doing really great, innovative things and more importantly educating the next generation of consumers to be fiscally responsible," Wright said.
Ideal Community Foundation Chairman Brian Sherrick expressed his appreciation for the turnout and generosity of participants. "We are extremely grateful for the ongoing support of our vendor partners, credit union colleagues, board members and executive staff in helping to make this fifth annual event a tremendous success," Sherrick stated. "Thanks to their participation, generous raffle donations and sponsorships, our endowment fund continues to grow and will enable the foundation to continue its mission to strengthen and improve the quality of life in our local communities."
Established in 2005, Ideal Community Foundation is a nonprofit 501 (c) (3) serving the greater Twin Cities metro area. It operates under the guidance of a Board of Directors, which oversees its financial management, sets policies and procedures for fundraising and grant making in accordance with its by-laws and mission.