HURON – The Huron Community Foundation (HCF) has announced that retired Huron business owners Bob and Emily Entwisle have donated $250,000 to the HCF, to establish the Entwisle Family Fund.
In addition to their initial gift, the Entwisles also set up a trust that will be added to the Entwisle Family Fund at a later date.
“The Foundation is honored that the Entwisle family has recognized the work of the HCF and will be making an everlasting impact on improving the Huron community through their donation,” said HCF President Steve Gohn.
The new fund is permanently endowed within the HCF, with interest earnings distributed annually with input from the Entwisle family.
The Entwisle gift, along with other gifts to the HCF this year, have more than doubled the annual impact the Huron Community Foundation can make on the Huron community. “These generous gifts will be making a significant impact on our community for generations to come,” said Gohn.
Bob and Emily Entwisle are well known Huron area business owners, owning and operating Welter Funeral Home for more than 40 years. Gohn noted that the family has been very active in community service throughout their lives, and recently contacted HCF wanting to continue their activity for Huron on a permanent basis, by creating the endowment.
According to Bob, the donation was one of the easiest decisions they ever made. “Emily and I are so lucky to have moved to Huron; the community has been a wonderful place to work, live and raise our family,” he said.
Sharing this sentiment, Emily added: “We owe this community so much for welcoming us, supporting our business, educating our children and allowing us the great privilege to have helped area families through the difficult times surrounding the loss of a loved one.”
The couple said they have been very impressed with the impact made by the Huron Community Foundation.
“We can see where they are really making a difference for dozens of organizations and countless people across the community; that was important to us,” Emily said. “By making this gift now, rather than in our estate planning, we can see the beginning fruits of this gift while Bob and I are still living to see the impact for area residents.”
Gohn said the HCF board focuses on making grants to local organizations and addressing needs that will truly influence lives. “We’re always asking ourselves what will benefit the most people in our community,” he said. “We are reaching out to learn where the biggest needs are going unmet.”
The HCF board envisions larger grants in the future that will make significant long-term impacts.
“The HCF wants to play a more proactive role, which could be in the form of partnering with other local organizations to tackle larger projects,” Gohn said.
“We want to be in a position where we are making the biggest impact possible for Huron residents.”
For more information about the Huron Community Foundation, contact Steve Gohn at 352-1118 or email hcf@huronsd.com.
