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The Boulder Junction Community Foundation awarded the Boulder Junction Chamber of Commerce a grant in the amount of $750 prior to the start of Music on Main Street on July 22. The grant helps support the funding of artists performing at the weekly summer music series. The series began on July 1 and takes place every Wednesday evening through August 5 from 7pm to 9pm at this year’s alternate location on the grounds of the Boulder Junction Community Center.
The Boulder Junction Community Foundation grant as well as individual and business and individual donors help to support this music series which is now in its 13th season.
The Boulder Junction Community Foundation has awarded the Boulder Junction Volunteer Fire Department a grant in the amount of $2729.
The grant will purchase two cold water rescue suits and associated equipment. These suits will help the Boulder Junction Volunteer Fire Department begin replacing cold water rescue equipment that has been in service for more than twelve years. “We are extremely grateful to the Boulder Junction Community Foundation for their support of our grant request. Our members trained in cold water rescue are looking forward to the enhanced functionality and user safety that the new suits and equipment will provide,” Eric Johnson, Assistant Fire Chief said.
The Boulder Junction Community Foundation has awarded the Boulder Junction Volunteer Fire Department a grant in the amount of $4403.
The grant funded a Groves PPE Extractor/Washer. The Extractor is a specialized washing machine designed specifically to clean the personal protective gear (jacket coat and bunker pants) for firefighters by removing the carcinogenic gasses that accumulate when fighting fires. In fact, cancer is the biggest killer of career and volunteer firefighters, whose risk of developing cancer exceeds that of the general population by 68%. “Using a Groves PPE Extractor/Washer is a firefighter health and wellness initiative,” said Eric Johnson, Assistant Chief of the Boulder Junction Volunteer Fire Department. “It will take care of our firefighters who volunteer to provide emergency fire-rescue-EMS services to the residents of Boulder Junction, and, when called to mutual aid, the residents of surrounding communities,” Johnson said. The Extractor arrived at the end of the year and was installed in February of 2020.
The Boulder Junction Community Foundation awarded the Town of Boulder Junction a grant in the amount of $750 to support affordable highspeed broadband internet access throughout the township. The grant will be combined with Town funds, contributions from CenturyLink and grant funds received from the Wisconsin Public Service Commission in order to accomplish a Fiber To The Premises (“FTTP”) project during 2020 in Boulder Junction.
In a special board meeting on November 19, the Boulder Junction Town Board unanimously approved a resolution for the town to pursue the high speed broadband expansion project with the project cost at $7.5 million with a $1.2 million contribution from CenturyLink, the Wisconsin Public Service Commission grant divided into two years with $1.25 million each year, and the town of Boulder Junction’s contribution not to exceed $3.8 million.
The Boulder Junction Community Foundation awarded the Boulder Junction Lions Club a grant in the amount of $1500 on November 20. The grant helped with the costs of replacing the roof on the Lions Pavilion this fall. The Boulder Junction Lions Club built the pavilion, which is adjacent to the Community Center, many years ago and gifted it to the Town of Boulder Junction. The Lions maintain the three-season, outdoor, covered pavilion which includes picnic tables, electricity and lighting. Many community residents and visitors use the pavilion for picnics, meetings and events.
The Boulder Junction Community Foundation awarded the Town of Boulder Junction a grant in the amount of $5000 on November 22 to help fund the public restroom project at the Boulder Junction Community Sports and Recreation Area.
The building of the restrooms is a joint project of the Town of Boulder Junction and the Sturm Family Building Community. With this grant, project donations have now reached just over $48,000. The total cost is approximately $65,000. The Boulder Junction Community Foundation is pleased to be the fiduciary for the project.
With town board approval expected in December of this year, building is slated to begin in the spring. The facility will be especially appreciated by the athletes and spectators at Sturm Memorial Ballfield, the children who use the playground (and their parents), and those who attend special events at the park., Since it is near the skateboard park and the Heart of Vilas County Bike Trail, the new facility will serve skaters, bikers, and walkers as well. Plans also include a water bottle filling station. Completion of the project is expected to be in June 2020.
Donations to the project are still being accepted and can be made via the Boulder Junction Community Foundation website through Network for Good: https://boulderjunctioncf.networkforgood.com.
The Boulder Junction Community Foundation awarded the Boulder Junction Chamber of Commerce a grant in the amount of $750 during Music on Main Street on July 24, 2019 to help support the costs of artists performing at the weekly summer music series. The series hosts eight Wednesday evening performances in June, July and August. The grant, as well as individual and business donors, help to support this event which is now in its 12th season.
In addition to the check presentation, the Boulder Junction Community Foundation hosted a Mostly Social in which they spread awareness about the Foundation’s mission, goals and ways to give while serving refreshing beverages and snacks to the attendees as they listened to the music of Bret & Frisk on a warm summer night in downtown Boulder Junction.
The Boulder Junction Community Foundation awarded the North Lakeland School 8th Grade Class a $650 grant which will be used for their annual spring class trip.
This year the 8th graders will travel to Chicago on June 3, 4 and 5 where they will enjoy both recreational and educational activities as they visit the Museum of Science and Industry including the U-505 Submarine, Millennium Park, Willis Tower, Illinois Holocaust Museum, Shedd Aquarium, Navy Pier, Briar Street Theatre (Blue Man Group), and Six Flags Great America.
The Boulder Junction Community Foundation is a non-profit 501(c)3 organization whose mission is to preserve and enhance Boulder Junction for present and future generations.
The Boulder Junction Community Foundation is a non-profit 501(c)3 organization created by and for residents and visitors of Boulder Junction. In 2019, our Endowment Fund surpassed $300,000, due to the generosity of our donors.
The Boulder Junction Community Foundation was established to benefit Boulder Junction visitors and residents. The goal of the Foundation is to raise $1,000,000 in the Endowment Fund, which is managed by the Community Foundation of North Central Wisconsin. That will allow us to give back $50,000 back to the community each year, forever. The total amount currently in the Endowment Fund is $316,693.94.
“Congratulations to all our donors and volunteers,” said John Altschwager, President of the Boulder Junction Community Foundation. “Without everyone in our community working together this could never have been achieved. We’re almost a third of the way to our goal. Let’s keep the momentum going.”
Founded in 2010, the mission of the Boulder Junction Community Foundation is to preserve and enhance Boulder Junction for present and future generations. Grants are available annually to organizations for innovative projects that improve, support, or protect the quality of life for our residents and visitors.
In 2018, the Foundation awarded the Boulder Junction Chamber of Commerce a grant to help fund the 8-week live summer music series, Music on Main Street, and aided in the cost of lighting for the Music on Main Street Stage. The Boulder Junction Public Library was awarded a grant to help with the purchase of end of season prizes for the Children’s Summer Reading Program. Another grant was awarded through a donor directed donation to beautify downtown Boulder Junction with fresh flower baskets which were lovingly cared for by volunteers.
For more information on the Boulder Junction Community Foundation and ways to give, visit boulderjunctioncf.org.
On Thursday, November 8 the Boulder Junction Community Foundation welcomed three new Directors to the Board:
Nicole Wilkin will share the duties of Treasurer along with Michelle Mauzer. Nicole moved to Boulder Junction two years ago to enjoy all the beauty and nature that prevails in the wonderful Northwoods. Nicole is a Certified Public Accountant, licensed in both California and Florida, and in process of expanding her licensure to include Wisconsin as well. Her practice is primarily in taxation, secondarily in business management, and she has experience in non-profit organizations (taxation) as well. When Nicole is not in Boulder Junction, she spends her time in sunny southwest Florida with trips to California where her granddaughter has just turned one year old.
Susan Govier is beginning a three-year term on the Foundation Board. Susie is a born and bred local girl who recently retired from a hectic career in interior design to pursue other “northerly” interests, though she plans to offer free-lance interior design in the future. Susie is co-owner of The Aqualand Ale House, just on the edge of Boulder Junction, named for the zoo her father and grandfather operated for many years. She added Wine and Paint classes to the schedule of events at the Ale House to provide a place where non-painters and former painters could play in a less serious way. She would like to add writing workshops, women’s retreats and other art and craft project classes. The Boulder Junction Community Foundation seems like the right way to plug into and enhance her childhood home.
Jennifer Heitz is beginning a three-year term on the Foundation Board. Jennifer returned to the Northwoods full-time in 2017 after retiring as an RN. An active volunteer, Jennifer served as president of the PTO, Band Boosters and Merrill Study Class, and was active with the GSHC Foundation, River Bend Trail fundraising committee, food pantry and as an animal rescue/driver for Wild Instincts. Jennifer was accompanist for the Merrill High School and middle school choirs and head coach of the MHS girl’s tennis team, a volunteer coach for the MHS Earth Club, youth softball and basketball programs. She is excited to serve the Foundation and the community and hopes that her past volunteer experiences will be a positive addition to the Boulder Junction Community Foundation.
John Altschwager continues his role as President, Barbara Douglas-Johnson, Vice President, Mary Van Grinsven, Secretary, and Michelle Mauzer co-Treasurer (with Nicole Wilkin). Craig Mason, Beth Rondello and Adam Zogata continue as Directors.