Initiatives Archives - Community Foundation of Marquette County

Celebrate Community Together!

You’re invited to the Community Foundation of Marquette County’s 2022 Annual Celebration on Wednesday, September 14 at 5:00 p.m. The event will be held at the Northern Center on the campus of Northern Michigan University.

The evening will be a celebration of the Community Foundation’s philanthropic impact on Marquette County and the work we do together as a community. We’ll share stories of our collective positive impact, including the Catalyst Awards presentation, which will honor local people, organizations, and businesses who’ve made a big difference in Marquette County. We’ll also share an exciting update on Kid’s Cove, Marquette’s Playground for All, which is in the home stretch of its campaign. And of course, we’ll enjoy delicious food and drink while listening to live music.

Join us for an inspiring evening!

Annual Celebration 2022 tickets

A Community of Belonging – Making Playgrounds Accessible for All

Thanks to Make it Marquette for “A Community of Belonging – Making Playgrounds Accessible for All, ” — a wonderful article by John Schiebe about Kids Cove and other local efforts and organizations that are making space and creating opportunities for inclusive, accessible play in our area. Featured is an interview with Nneena Ittner, leader of the Playground for All Committee, which is now in the home stretch of fund-raising for this amazing project.

“…When there’s a space for everyone – where there’s a mutually accessible platform where play and genuine human interaction can be provided every day – that’s the kind of lasting legacy that’s larger than just Marquette.” 🤸‍

Shiras Institute supports Playground For All

On Wednesday, October 20, representatives from the Shiras Institute presented a check to the Marquette Playground for All Committee for $15,000. This donation will help fund the playground that will be built as an enhanced replacement of the current Kids Cove playground in Mattson Lower Harbor Park.

Playgrounds for All is raising money for an all-inclusive playground at Mattson Lower Harbor Park called Kids Cove, a playground for all. The committee is looking to raise an additional $850k to reach their fundraising goal of $1.3M. They’ve been collecting public input and detailed designs are being worked on now, which will be available in November.

“This community is pretty amazing, I’ve been in fundraising pretty much all my adult life here and I am blown away with how kind people are and when a community comes together each individual benefits,” said Nheena Weyer Ittner, Chair of the Playgrounds for All Committee.

Construction on the playground is anticipated to begin in the spring and be finished in summer of 2022. The Playground for All Committee and City of Marquette have partnered with the Community Foundation of Marquette County to raise funds for this project. The Community Foundation of Marquette County is the fiscal agent for this project.

For more information visit kidscovemqt.com

Left to right: Ward Rantala, Andrew Wallner, Laura Katers Reilly, Jim Reevs, Cheryl Hill (all board members of the Shiras Institute) Nheena Weyer Ittner, Rick Orr, Zosia Eppensteiner (CFMC CEO), Jon Swenson (City of Marquette), Alice Reynolds, Susan Anderson and Bob Chapman, members of the Playground for All committee. Photo taken by Michaela Zuzula from the LSCP.

Give to the Kids Cove 2.0 - Playground for All

2021 Annual Celebration Honors Community Who Make a Difference

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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.