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West End community supports education foundation

Laurie Henderhan / West Side Stories
Kremmling, CO Colorado

Organized in 1996 by a group that included school board members, teachers and citizens, the West Grand Community Educational Foundation has been “dedicated to enhancing education through strengthening the relationship between community and schools.”

The Foundation has spent the last 14 years supporting the West Grand School District and community. People may be most familiar with the Foundations “Citizen of the Year ” award and banquet, which has honored people who have supported the school district and the community.

Past Citizens of the Year have included Perry Handyside, Therese Zocholl, Jack McElroy and last year’s honorees Mike and Susan Ritschard. The banquet has become one of the community’s social highlights. The entertainment at the annual dinner has included such well recognized names as cowboy poet Baxter Black and hypnotist Frederick Winters.



Fundraisers such as the banquet and the bouncy ball drop held at the Demolition Derby have enabled the Foundation to fund scholarships, grants, and support local projects and groups such as the Forward Motion Project, Kremmling Cattle Kings Hockey Club, the Middle School Student Council, the Robotics Club and West Grand athletic programs.

Since its organization, the Foundation has received more than $1 million in gifts and donations. Some previous donations have been auctioned off and the money used toward community projects and some donations are used as raffle prizes during community events to raise money for the Foundation scholarships. The Foundation awards more than $20,000 each year in scholarships to Kremmling Preschool, high school graduates, and adults furthering their education.



The Foundation has open membership and you can attend the next quarterly meeting at 5:30 p.m. on Oct. 4 at the Moose Cafe. Talk to one the foundation members for more information about the goals of the Foundation and the projects they are currently supporting.

This weekend the Foundation is holding the 1st Annual Trapshoot Fundraiser. The event will be held at the Blue Valley Sportsman Club Range 11 miles south of town on Hwy 9. Registration begins at 9 with the shooting starting at 10 a.m. There will be divisions for youth, men and women. Fees for the four rounds of shooting will be $40 and there will be $5 rounds of 25 birds.

There will also be Annie Oakley shooting competitions and raffles of Broncos tickets and rounds of golf for 4 at Elk Run. Cash and other prizes will total over $2000. There will be concessions, burgers, hot dogs and frito pie available as well. The sponsors and members of the Foundation hope this will become as popular an event as the Citizen Banquet.

If you would like to contact the Foundation you may call Linda Haynes at the West Grand Administration Office at 724-1006 or write to WGCEF, Box 1542, Kremmling, CO 80459. A few of the members you can contact are Teri Tanton, President, Kevin Chalfant, Superintendent, Dean Billington, Dave or Karen Hammer, Dave or Leslie Jones, Jeremy or Kendra Bock, Sara Rosene, Ken or Linda Haynes just to name a few of our local citizens who work to help the Foundation meet their goals.

Contact me at lhwestside@gmail.com, 970-531-2431 or 724-9575. Have a good week.


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