Apple Valley Rotary Scholarship Foundation History
Apple Valley Rotary Scholarship Foundation History
Sharon LaComb
The Apple Valley Rotary Foundation has grown and prospered through the hard work of any dedicated citizens in our community. It was created to provide financial support for students of Independent School District 196 for their post-secondary education. The Foundation began as a continuation of a foundation initially created by ISD 196 in 1983.
Ruth Randall was Superintendent of Independent School District 196 from 1981 to 1983. Superintendent Randall initiated an ISD 196 Foundation Board in 1982. I was asked by the Superintendent to be on the new ISD 196 Foundation Board in 1982 and was elected Secretary to the board in 1982. During my tenure on the ISD 196 Foundation Board I was not a member of Apple Valley Rotary, nor was I working at the Dakota County technical College. At that time, I was an independent business owner, active in the community and on several other Foundation Boards.
As an ISD 196 Foundation Board member I helped solicit funds for the organization from 1982 through 1983. During that time period we raised approximately $20,000 for scholarships that were to go to students attending post-secondary educational institutions after graduating from ISD 196. Our bylaws were incorporated in 1983.
Ruth Randall resigned as Superintendent of ISD 196 in 1983 to become Minnesota Commissioner of Education. Harold Berquist was named Interim Superintendent in 1983 and he did not want the District involved in a foundation. During Harold Berquist’s six months as Interim Superintendent the District 196 Foundation Board started the process to dissolve the organization. I was on the committee to legally dissolve the 501c (3) non-profit and to find an organization that would accept the ISD 196 Foundation funds we had raised. Our stated goal was threefold; 1) find an organization that would accept the Foundation funds we had raised, 2) continue to grow the endowment, and 3) keep the original mission of raising money for post-secondary education
Our committee contacted and interviewed many local organizations in ISD 196. The only organization that agreed to all three principals was Apple Valley Rotary. Every organization we talked to would accept the money and keep the mission – Apple Valley Rotary was the only organization that agreed to continue to grow the endowment. Attorneys for District 196 had to agree that the mission of the Apple Valley Rotary Foundation satisfied the intent of the donors of the ISD 196 Foundation.
The ISD 196 Foundation Board made a report to the ISD 196 School Board in December 1988 accepting transfer to Apple Valley Rotary. The ISD 196 Foundation Board was formally disbanded in May of 1989 when then Superintendent Red Rehwald reported to the ISD 196 School Board.
In 1989 Apple Valley Rotary accepted the approximately $20,000 and handled it as a separate account within the general budget until 1996. By 1996, that fund had grown to $46,000 through several fund-raising events. In 1996 Apple Valley Rotary was issued a Certification of Incorporation by the State of Minnesota.
As stated in the Articles of Incorporation:
“The primary purpose of this corporation shall be to raise funds to be used by students for post-secondary education.”
Apple Valley Rotary has acted in good faith since 1989 both to meet the spirit of the agreement and its legal requirements. We can all be proud of the accomplishments of the many people who continue to help others in our community.