The Birch Grove Foundation, under the guidance of Executive Director Caroline Wood, has seen a great year of fundraising. The latest contribution to the foundation, which manages the Birch Grove Community Center building and programming, was from the Lloyd K. Johnson Foundation. On July 23, Birch Grove representatives accepted the “Big Check.” (L-R) Elizabeth Peterson, Joan Gardner-Goodno of Lloyd K. Johnson Foundation, Ginny Cooley, Barb Merritt, Birch Grove Director Caroline Wood.
On July 23, Lloyd K. Johnson Foundation Executive Director Joan Gardner-Goodno presented Birch Grove Foundation with a “big check” for $25,000 – the largest program and capacity building grant in Birch Grove Foundation’s 30-year history.
Added to the $20,000 Northland Foundation- Rural Aging Initiative grant; $7,500 North Shore Health Care Foundation- Emergency Preparedness and Health Promotion Disease Prevention Initiative; $17,100 Cook County Multi-Hazard Mitigation Plan project assistant grant; $2,500 Cook County Community Fund 30th Anniversary: A Year to Remember grant; and $500 Minnesota Power Foundation grant; the foundation exceeds its $70,000 goal.
This grant award goal was reached in six months– one can literally see the changes and growth in the west end on a daily basis.
In June 2014, Caroline Wood joined Birch Grove Foundation as a full-time executive director. This was made possible with a Department of Veterans Affairs, Special Employment Incentive for six months. Since that time, Birch Grove Foundation has sustained its full-time capability to offer the West End a community, recreation, and senior center.
The $10,250 federal investment has brought in seven times the reward and would not have been possible without the support of corporate sponsors Lake Superior Hostel, Grand Marais State Bank, and North Shore Federal Credit Union as well as business and individual donors who raised $30,000. The organization now employs one full-time and four parttime employees.
With all of this growth Birch Grove Foundation continues to focus on the mission to provide program and service access to West End residents and guests. The facility is open to the public and residents of Lutsen, Schroeder, and Tofte are the main users. Education/ Training, Recreation/ Leisure, Arts/Culture, and Health/Wellness programs and service offerings are expanding.
There is now a cybercafé, W.E. Fit (West End Fitness Center), W.E. Trade (West End Trade Multimedia Center), library, meeting space, commercial kitchen, gymnasium, tennis/pickle ball court, pavilion, and hearth oven to enjoy. Programs include Go4Life fitness, Zumba, Farm2Table CSA for adults 55+, W.E. Pizza Party nights and so much more. They recently logged over 117 units of service in a week.
Volunteers have made over $22,500 in work contributions to the West End as a credit to the foundation and more opportunities have just been created with 12 volunteer job descriptions. Birch Grove Foundation has chosen to celebrate these monumental achievements by inviting the public to join them on Aug. 15 from 3-8 p.m. for a “Back to the Future” party. This community celebration features an ‘80s retro KidZone, Magic by Chaz, a meal, presentation, and movie featured on the new mega theater screen.
This is sure to be a “Year to Remember” for Birch Grove Foundation as they transition to W.E. Connect, an organization providing a community, recreation, and senior center to the West End. It is hoped the name change reflects the growing connections between Lutsen, Schroeder, and Tofte township residents and guests.
Back to the Future events Saturday, August 15
3:00-8:00 p.m. Open House & Tours:
W.E. Connect Community, Recreation, and Senior Center
4:00-5:30 p.m. KidsZone – Retro Races, Carnival, & Fun
5:30 p.m. Chaz the Magician – Show
6:15 p.m. 80s Picnic – Sloppy Joes, Summer Salads and Ripple Chips
6:30 p.m. 30th Anniversary Presentation
7:30 p.m. Prelude: Ice Cream & Popcorn
8:00 p.m. Movie – Back to the Future on Theater Screen
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