Staff
Laura
Heintzelman
Executive Director
(231) 723-7269
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Success Stories
Margaret & Cameron Murdoch Fund
She Left a Legacy
Teacher, world-traveler, businesswoman, philanthropist. Manistee County native Margaret Murdoch had a full and adventurous life. Born and raised in Bear Lake, she attended Michigan State University for two years and then received her teaching certificate from Eastern Michigan University. As the country entered the Great Depression, Margaret embarked upon a series of world adventures. In Shanghai, China, she taught English to Chinese students. She traveled to Japan where she lived on an island, then left on the Siberian Express in the face of impending war.
Returning to Kalamazoo, she met and married her lifetime love, Cameron. They moved...
Manistee County Veterans Fund
Serving Those Who Have Served Us All
In honor of his father, who served in the Dutch Army during World War II, and in appreciation of American and Allied soldiers who liberated the Netherlands where his family lived, Ted Arens and his wife Pam established the Manistee County Veterans Endowment Fund. The Fund supports the unmet needs of veterans and their families who reside in Manistee County, including Canadian and Allied soldiers with wartime service.
Arcadia Area Historical Museum
Securing the Future In Order to Protect the Past
History is being made daily. As Ken Burns said, "History lies not just in the world's 'big events' but also in the little things that go on all around us every day." The Arcadia Area Historical Museum recognizes the importance of preserving history, and it is dedicated to educating others about the history of their community.
The Arcadia Area Historical Museum Fund was established in order to foster and promote historical preservation within Arcadia Township, to formulate and implement plans for historical preservation, and to acquire, operate, and maintain suitable facilities for the maintenance and...
Bill Seng Memorial Fund
He Cared About His Community
Bill Seng’s commitment to the Manistee community was one of his defining qualities. As a founding member of the Manistee County Community Foundation in 1986, Bill served three years as President of the Board of Directors. Bill’s legacy of giving and dedication to his community continue today, and will last far into the future, through grants awarded from the Bill Seng Memorial Fund.
Born in 1936 in Muskegon, Michigan, Bill married Ruth Skocelas in 1956, and they moved to Manistee to start their own business. Bill created Seng Crane and Excavating as well as the Seng Marina. Bill's success as a...
Portage Lake Watershed Forever Fund
Passionate About Protecting Our Natural Resources
Mike Acton is quick to give credit to others, although he was the driving force behind a community-based effort that led to the creation of a plan to ensure the protection and wise use of Portage Lake and its watershed for present and for future generations. In 2006 he established the Portage Lake Waterhed Forever Endowment Fund to provide support for implementing the Portage Lake Watershed Forever Plan in perpetuity.
Michigan Governor Jennifer Granholm congratulated community leaders while in Onekama, Michigan on June 13, 2008 for achieving State approval after a two-year planning effort involving...
Manistee County Youth Advisory Committee Fund
Youth Lead the Way
Each month a group of young people from all across Manistee County come together for a common purpose. It’s not a sporting event or a social visit; it’s a meeting of the Manistee County Youth Advisory Committee (YAC). Students from each of Manistee County’s six school districts meet to take a closer look at youth issues in our county and to discuss ideas for making things better. They come together to learn about philanthropy and how to be better leaders today and in the future. They come together to learn about being stewards by asking tough questions and making hard decisions on wise giving.
The Manistee County YAC...
Ramsdell Theatre Preservation Fund
Culture, Arts, and Historical Preservation
The Ramsdell Theatre is listed on the National Register of Historic Places. It was built between 1902 and 1903 by Thomas Jefferson Ramsdell -- pioneer lawyer, state legislator, and civic leader. Public spirited citizens saved the landmark from demolition in the early 1920s. It was acquired by the City of Manistee in 1943. The Manistee Civic Players have helped to preserve its architecture and interior decor.
Now, with the Ramsdell Theatre Preservation Fund through the Manistee County Community Foundation, we can ensure this landmark for future generations. The purpose of this Fund...
Betsie Valley District Library
Challenge Grant to Benefit Betsie Valley District Library Endowment
For a limited time, supporters of the Betsie Valley District Library can double their gift and help sustain library services thanks to a community challenge announced by the Friends of the Betsie Valley District Library.
The Friends awarded a challenge grant in the amount of $5,000 to the newly established Betsie Valley District Library Endowment Fund, managed by the Manistee County Community Foundation. Each donation to the Fund that is received between now and the end of the calendar year will be matched, dollar for dollar, up to the $5,000 maximum.
The generous challenge was made...
Karl & Irene Herrmann Family Scholarship Fund
They Believed in the Power of Education
The Karl and Irene Herrmann Family Scholarship Fund was established by the children of Karl and Irene Herrmann as a way to honor their parents and give back to the community. The Herrmanns created a household in which integrity, common courtesy, and compassion were key. Through this scholarship fund, they hope to pass on their parents' legacy.
Because their parents placed a high value on ethics, personal responsibility, and education, the Herrmann children seek to reward Manistee County students who demonstrate these same virtues. The Karl and Irene Herrmann Family Scholarship Fund assists students of Manistee County who have a...
Revitalizing Our Downtown
The Vogue Theatre Restoration Fund was established at the Manistee County Community Foundation to support a community-driven effort to restore and reopen the 72-year old theatre located in the heart of the City of Manistee at 383 River Street. On February 9, 2011, Academy Award-winning filmmaker Michael Moore helped kick off the restoration project and encouraged everyone to join him as he made the first $10,000 personal donation to the project. It is estimated that approximately $1 million will be needed to reopen the doors through a volunteer, grass-roots effort directed by a nonprofit organization.
Laura Heintzelman, Executive Director of the Community...
