2021 Annual Celebration Honors Community Who Make a Difference

The 2021 Annual Celebration took place at NMU on Wednesday, September 22. The evening included Catalyst Awards presentations, prize drawings from Donckers and the Delft, the first Range Bank Clean Energy Grant award, and a special announcement for the Jumpstart a Heart project.

“The Annual Celebration is a way for the Community Foundation staff and Board of Trustees to say thank you,” says CEO Zosia Eppensteiner. “We thank the donors, businesses and funders who invest in our community, and the people and organizations who work tirelessly to make Marquette County a place that helps all citizens thrive.”

Each year, the Board of Trustees nominate individuals, organizations, and businesses to receive Catalyst Awards. These awards recognize the efforts of those that help build community through volunteerism or philanthropy and inspire others to do the same. Four awards were presented at this year’s Annual Celebration.

The Range Bank Clean Energy grant, which was established this year to assist non-profits with investing in energy saving projects and education, was presented to Lake Superior Lifecare & Hospice. The grant will help the organization complete an energy saving insulation project. Range Bank President and CEO Roxanne Daust presented the grant to Lake Superior Lifecare & Hospice CEO Jennifer Voegtline.

Earlier this year, the Community Foundation partnered with the Marquette County Law Enforcement Administrator’s Association (MCLEAA) with the goal to raise over $81,000 to replace outdated lifesaving equipment carried by law enforcement. The effort, called Jumpstart a Heart, will allow MCLEAA to purchase 38 Automatic External Defibrillators (AEDs) for law enforcement across the county.

Thanks to the many generous donors that included several individuals and businesses, the fundraising goal was met. Grants from West End Health Foundation, Frazier Fund, Ray and Peg Hirvonen Foundation, Superior Health Foundation, Negaunee Area Community Fund, and Marquette Area Community Fund made a major impact helping the project reach its goal. Marquette County Sheriff Greg Zyburt and Corporal Jennifer Best represented MCLEAA at the Annual Celebration to accept the grant.