WCF Youth Council Now In Its 10th Year

2010-11 YOUTH COUNCIL - From left are Watertown High School students Alexa Moeller, Olivia Schlueter, Katey Ulrich, Jacob Clark, Kirsten Titze, and Abbey Ulrich.

The Watertown Community Foundation Youth Council has been a learning and leadership experience for many local youths. Since its inception in 2001, the six-member council has granted more than $75,000 to Watertown nonprofits, organizations and programs which affect young people. Previous grantees include Camp Chance, Watertown Area Special Olympics, Lake Area Zoological Society, Post Prom Party, the Salvation Army, Big Brothers Big Sisters and the Watertown Boys & Girls Club.

Making Smiles Women & Giving Members See Grant At Work

ALL ABOUT IT - Carrie Mikkonen (far right), Dakota Smiles Mobile manager, gives a detailed tour of the Smile Mobile to Women & Giving members, from left, Jill Duklet, Jan Johnson, Colleen Hestad and Nancy Linneman.
The Dakota Smiles Program saw 51 patients in Watertown in late 2010. The program, brought by Inter-Lakes Community Action Partnership and Delta Dental, was sponsored in part by the Foundation's Women & Giving group. It was the first dental visit for many of the patients. Seventeen of the patients had been to the mobile previously. The total production of the local visit, including diagnostic, preventative and restorative procedures came to $17,858. 2010 was the fourth consecutive year that Women & Giving has supported the effort.

Group Thanks Greg Blow

Several Board and former Board members, along with spouses, thanked Greg Blow and wished him well at a reception earlier this month. After 13 years as the Great Western Bank Trustee Representative for the Foundation, Blow has transferred to Rapid City.

Deb Popham, former Board member and executive director, spoke about Blow's dedication to the Foundation over the years and his ongoing support as not only a trustee representative but person who truly cared about
the Foundation and its mission to improve the quality of life in Watertown.

Scott Olson is now the Foundation's trustee representative from Great Western.

Ice Rink Gets New Look

Skaters Lace Up
For Outdoor Rink

Skaters of all ages have been able to skate at a newly rennovated outdoor rink near the Multi-District this winter.


Total cost of the project, which involved reconstruction of the boards that surround the rink, was approximately $6,700.

Thanks to the generosity of Watertown Community Foundation donors, the Foundation granted $4,300 toward the effort spearheaded by the Watertown Hockey Association.

The facility is open to the public. Admission is free.

ON THE ICE - Mark Sjoberg does some skating of his own. Sjoberg was the committee chair and foreman of the project.