Andersons’ Endowment Gift Supports McCook’s Youth
Lemoine “Andy” and Geri Anderson
Charitable Gift Annuity, Endowment Building
Two life-long Nebraskans have made the largest charitable gift to date to the McCook Community Foundation Fund. Lemoine “Andy” and Geri Anderson, who owned and operated Anderson Motors, Inc. in McCook for 42 years, worked with the Nebraska Community Foundation to develop an innovative plan to provide for a gift of $346,431 to the McCook Community Foundation Fund’s endowment.
The initial grant of $13,000 from the endowment account was made in October 2007. Additional grants are made from the endowment each year for strategic projects in the McCook area. “I like the idea that part of our gift to McCook will be used immediately and will keep on giving into the future,” shared Geri.
In particular, the Andersons wanted to give back to the community of McCook. “We feel fortunate to have lived, raised our family and to have worked in a community such as McCook. To us, it is important to give while we are still alive. We want to see the benefits our gift makes to the community,” Andy said.
The first year grant was made to support the HomeTown Competitiveness (HTC) youth strategy in McCook; specifically the 4-H Entrepreneurship Investigation (ESI) program, teacher entrepreneurship curriculum certification and an HTC Youth Task Force project led by McCook’s own young people.
The goal of the HTC youth engagement strategy is to help young people pursue their future in the McCook area by being actively involved with their community and gaining the skills necessary to be successful as entrepreneurs and civic leaders.
The Andersons’ gift provides the resources to mobilize youth entrepreneurship and leadership programs that will help McCook be an attractive choice for more young people now and in the future.
“This is a truly wonderful gift,” said Stan Goodwin, chairman of the McCook Community Foundation Fund. “The McCook Community Foundation will be transformed because of the Andersons’ confidence in our organization, and as a result of their generosity, we will be able to make grants for years and years to come that will fundamentally change the McCook area.”
It is the Andersons’ hope that their gift will inspire others to make gifts to endow the future of the community and the state.
