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The Waseca Area Foundation celebrated their 35th Anniversary earlier this month during their annual fall grand awards program. Above from left: Bruce Boyce, WAF Board Member Penny Vought, Ed Frederick, Amy Potter, Ann Fitch, WAF Board Member Molly Erdman, Janesville Area Foundation President Sam Steffel.

WAF celebrates 35 years, holds annual fall awards program

The Waseca Area Foundation/EF Johnson Foundation held its thirty-fifth annual fall grant awards program at the Armstrong Center in Waseca the afternoon of Thursday, Nov. 7. 
According to information published in the evening’s program, what started as a “$6,000 pipe dream” in the 80s with a first grant of $600 has since allowed the organization to distribute well over $12.5 million–more than $350,000 of that in 2022 alone.
Past foundation board chair David Oraskovich welcomed everyone on Thursday and gave a special recognition to Amy Potter, the organization’s executive director.
During the main program, representatives from organizations which received funds in 2025 came up on stage to be acknowledged. Among those organizations were:
Riverland Austin and South-Central Colleges from both Mankato and Faribault received scholarships for non-traditional students in the amount of $10,000 from the EF Johnson Foundation.
Seniors graduating from Waseca High School received $20,000 in scholarships from the EF Johnson Foundation. 
Courage Retreat received $2162 from Cally Jo Children’s Fund; accepting the award was WJSHS principal Dr. Jason Miller. The Waseca Jr Sr High School received $500 for a Color Printer, Heat Press and Supplies from EF Johnson Foundation; accepting the award were Jen Popp and Donna Hodgkins. Therapeutic Movement Chairs for the high school received $2000 from EF Johnson Foundation; accepting the award was Shealyn Salgado.
Waseca Alternative Learning Center received $300 from EF Johnson Foundation for a Science Museum Field Trip; accepting the award was Emily Cremeans.
Waseca Community Ed received $600 for their Swim Training Platform. $3000 for their Summer Youth Theater and $10,000 for Youth Development Grants from EF Johnson Foundation; accepting the award was Nikki Benson.
Waseca School Age Care received $250 from EF Johnson Foundation for Sandbox Materials; accepting the award was Katie Staloch.
JWP High School Senior Scholarship received $3,000 from EF Johnson Foundation; accepting the award was David Rysdam.
NRHEG High School received a Senior Scholarship in the amount of $3,000; accepting the award was Barb Hagen. $3000 was also awarded for Secondary Band Storage, Lockers/Cabinets; accepting the award was Seth Schaefer and $3000 from EF Johnson Foundation for Community Ed Youth Development Grants; accepting the award was Macy Whiteside.
Jr. Achievement $3000 awarded from EF Johnson Foundation to Waseca Schools Programming; accepting the award was Vanessa Jensen.
Farmamerica received $2200 from EF Johnson Foundation for its Ag Career Exploration Program. The organization was also awarded $2500 for park benches for Timeline Trail from the Greg & Donnette Wheelock Ag. Fund; accepting the award were Kari Wadd and Morgan Mudgett.
Waseca Public Library received $2000 for the Event Offerings for Teens. $4000 for the Summer Concert Series and $2500 for the Waseca Water Carnival from EF Johnson Foundation; accepting the award was Afton Finley.
Waseca Area Neighborhood Service Center received $5000 for its Backpack Program and $9000 from EF Johnson Foundation for Service Center Food Shelf Support; accepting the award was  Cindy Kolander.
JWP Schools received $1500 from EF Johnson Foundation for the district’s Feeding our Communities Partners Backpack Program; accepting the award was Heather Bierer.
Lutheran Social Services received $2164 from EF Johnson Foundation for its Foster Care Family Programming; accepting the award was Candy Picka.
Big Brothers Big Sisters Mentoring Support of Waseca County was awarded $7500 from EF Johnson Foundation; accepting the award was Jon Dziurawiec.
Beds for Kids Bed Kits of Waseca County received $1500 from the Cally Jo Children’s Fund; accepting the award was Jolayne Mohs.
Minnesota Valley Action Council received $1000 from EF Johnson Foundation for its Soap Closet Supplies; accepting the award was Kerri Dziubak.
Waseca Area Caregiver Services received $1000 from EF Johnson Foundation for its Lycynt Pro Interactive System; accepting the award were Kelly Boedekker and Beth Stankiewicz.
Life Work Planning Center received $2000 from EF Johnson Foundation for its Women In Transition Program; accepting the award was Stephanie Gonzalez.
New Richland Care Center received $1500 from EF Johnson Foundation for their Portable Vital Machines; accepting the award were Jessica Madson and Rebecca Schauer.
Waseca Fire Dept received $3000 for a gas monitor from the Waseca Area Foundation Fund; accepting the award was Jason Forshee.
Waseca Sleigh & Cutter received $1000 from EF Johnson Foundation for its 75th Anniversary Event Support; accepting the award were Ken Borgmann, Jen Burt and Madeline Johnson.
Waseca Chorale received $2500 from EF Johnson Foundation for concert support; accepting the award were Deb Wantoch-Yess and Al Judd.
With $106,514 granted from EF Johnson Foundation Fund, $3662 granted from Cally Jo Children’s Fund, and $10,639 granted from the Janesville Area Foundation, the giving impact of the EF Johnson Foundation from 2007 to 2024 is $1,789,316.
 

 

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