Educational endowment gets a boost

Bri Brasher
NLJ Reporter
 
Weston County School District No. 1 recently received a generous addition to its educational endowment foundation. Patrick and Barbara Crow invested nearly $20,000 in the foundation, specifically for improvements to Crouch Auditorium.
“Barbara and I have discovered that local philanthropy is a neat idea, and it’s not unusual to discover that there are local needs that are not being met,” Pat Crow told the News Letter Journal.
According to Superintendent Brad LaCroix, the Educational Endowment Foundation, a licensed nonprofit, was created years ago exclusively for educational purposes, including but not limited to scholarships for both teachers and students, computers, technical and science labs, libraries, career education for students, lifelong learning skills and special programs, as well as recognizing excellence in teaching. 
Extensive discussions between LaCroix and the Crows revealed a need for upgrades to Crouch Auditorium. Lovers of the arts and always supportive of community events, the Crows said they saw the opportunity to see their donation make a difference in the community on a much larger scale. LaCroix said the auditorium needs upgraded lighting to LED, sound system improvement with new technology, and new seating to keep the building comfortable and up-to-date. The auditorium could also benefit from new curtains, backdrops and other stage upgrades, according to LaCroix. 
“The Crouch Auditorium is a fixture in the community. It’s an essential part of the community, and it’s not quite as old as we are, but it’s getting pretty old,” Crow said. “And there are things in that space that really could be improved with that updating.”
LaCroix said the building was constructed to meet a need for school facilities but also to benefit the public for a wide range of events, including funerals. He said that upgrading the “somewhat old and worn auditorium will keep the space as pleasant and useful as its been in the past,” and he hopes other contributions will come in when word of the endowment spreads. 
“From the school district’s side of this, I would like to thank Pat and Barb, not only for their contribution – but I mean, like so many – their children went to the system here, and they have always been very supportive of the school and the community,” LaCroix said. 
While the Crows recognized that their contribution is only a “drop in the bucket,” they hope that their investment will spark interest in other donors so the project can get underway. 
Patrick Crow told the News Letter Journal that he sat on the board of directors for Educational Endowment Foundation for many years and sees donating funds toward Crouch Auditorium improvements as a means to improve the quality of life for community members. Other donations made by the Crows involve the local concert association, children’s center, senior center, and 4-H.
LaCroix said that the foundation currently manages the Fassbender scholarship for teachers to assist them in furthering their education in math and science, and the retired teachers portion of the foundation gives scholarships to students. Don Thorson also donates money to loan to students interest free to pursue higher education. The loans are an effort to “keep the pot full for future students”, LaCroix said. The Crows’ recent addition earmarked for the auditorium is a welcome and appreciated addition to the foundation, he said. 
“This is a unique opportunity because in the 25 years that I’ve been here, it’s really something that somebody wants to do, similar to the Dogie spirit bronze. Those are the kinds of things that people coming to the community or even moving to the community see—those are pride things, LaCroix said. “We have to think about the ways we can promote ourselves and the things we can do ourselves. Those are things people can feel, (things) that you can sense. Those things go a long ways.”