Author: Kevin Fitzgibbons

Meet Our Donors - Ralph & Rose Counter

Meet Our Donors - Ralph & Rose Counter

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Ralph & Rose Counter

Ralph and Rose Counter knew well the strain poverty could place on a family. The Sioux Falls couple spent hours volunteering for church and community organizations and saw those struggles manifested in their work with homeless families, in regular visits to prisoners and in seeing young children unable to afford Catholic education. When Rose Counter died in 2003, her husband, Deacon Ralph Counter, knew just what to do to honor her memory. He worked with the Catholic Community Foundation for Eastern South Dakota to establish an endowment for the benefit of St. Lambert and O’Gorman High School students.
“Rose knew how important Catholic education was in the life of a young person who did not have much in their life,” said Andrew Bartell, Director of Planned Giving, with the Catholic Community Foundation.

Each year, students at both schools get help with tuition, thanks to the generosity of the Counters. Ralph Counter died in August, 2016. Funding from his estate also went into the endowment. The Counters were married in 1960 and lived in eastern Sioux Falls. Ralph was a U.S. Navy veteran who worked 33 years as an on-the-road salesman for the P.K. Wrigley Co. He also was a deacon. Ordained in 1984, he served at St. Lambert Parish until his retirement in 2006. Rose Counter gained great satisfaction helping those in need. In the 1960s, Rose was honored by Sioux Falls Mayor M.E Schirmer with a Citizen’s Award for
“sharing and caring for humankind.”

Bartell said when Rose died, Ralph wanted to do something to honor his wife and the values she embodied. “He knew making it possible to send a few more kids to Catholic school every year would be something that would have warmed her heart” Bartell said. Through his work at St. Lambert Parish and School, Ralph Counter was aware of tuition assistance endowments that others had set up through the Catholic Community Foundation, Bartell said. “He knew the benefit to the pastor and principal of knowing the distribution was coming every year, so they could confidently accept students who had no way of ever paying tuition.” When asked by Fr. John Rutten how he might characterize Ralph Counter’s life in his eulogy, Deacon Leon Cantin said he offered this observation of his humble, caring friend: “He always flew under the radar. He did a lot of things. But he wasn’t noticed too much and didn’t want to be noticed.”

Meet Our Donors - Wayne Stuwe

Meet Our Donors - Wayne Stuwe

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Wayne and Janine Stuwe

Wayne Stuwe first met the staff of the Catholic Community Foundation for Eastern South Dakota as a volunteer running a spotlight for a Christmas concert. Foundation President Mark Conzemius and other staffers were in Hoven, S.D., several years ago to help St. Anthony parish produce their own Christmas concert, which became known as “Christmas on the Prairie”. The annual event brings professional soloists and symphony musicians to the small town in north central South Dakota.  A few years later, when Stuwe and his wife, Janine, decided to set up a family endowment, they turned to the Catholic Community Foundation. 

They took advantage of a match program the foundation offered in commemoration of the 125th anniversary of the Diocese of Sioux Falls. “We hadn’t thought about it really, but the matching grant made it a little more enticing,” Wayne Stuwe said.  The Stuwe’s named their local parish, St. Anthony of Padua, in Hoven, as well as seminarian education and youth ministry as the beneficiaries of their endowment. The Stuwe’s had taught CCD classes in their home for several years and enjoyed the experience. They hope their gift will assist their parish in continuing the classes and other ministries. Wayne has served on the St. Anthony parish council and both he and his wife have volunteered for a variety of other activities in the parish of about 300 families. 

Conzemius said the foundation helps individuals like the Stuwe’s “be good stewards of the gifts that God has given them.”  There are 746 permanent named endowments, like the Stuwe’s, administered by the CCFESD, totaling $55,703,044. All of them benefit ministries determined by the donors, Conzemius said. The Stuwe’s believe they have a responsibility to support the ministries of the Catholic Church and this endowment embodies their gratitude and commitment. “We always felt we needed to support more than just our local parish, but also the diocesan church,” said Wayne. Conzemius said the Catholic Community Foundation provides many opportunities for individuals to do that. “For those who care about Catholic values, the Catholic Community Foundation is a great vehicle for their charitable giving,” he said.

Meet Our Donors - Millie Giordano

Meet Our Donors - Millie Giordano

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Mildred “Millie” Giordano

The Catholic faith was very important to Mildred “Millie” Giordano and, her family members say, she had a generosity of heart that surpassed monetary giving. “She gave her heart and love to others, through kindness and attention,” six of her nieces and nephews wrote in a letter to the Catholic Community Foundation for Eastern South Dakota after her death. Millie left a large portion of her estate to charities, including a donation to the Catholic Community Foundation for Eastern South Dakota that established an endowment for the education of future priests.

Mark Conzemius, president of the CCFESD, said the foundation uses Catholic values screening in the investment and distribution of funds. That helps match faith-filled donors like Millie Giardano with charities that reflect her values. Millie was born Nov. 17, 1917 in Kansas, the oldest of five children. The family moved to South Dakota in 1921, and farmed at Gregory. She attended Nettleton Business College and worked for the USDA in Huron, SD, for many years. She married Felix Giordano in 1955. He died in 1963. She had no children of her own, but her nieces and nephews wrote that she treated them as if they were her children.

“Love is perhaps the best word to describe Aunt Mildred,” the letter explained. “She loved unconditionally. Her laughter would fill a room and laughter came easily to Millie, as did joy.” Rev. Terry Anderson, who was pastor of Holy Trinity Parish in Huron for many years called her “a very faithful person.” “She spent a lot of time in prayer. When she did come to Mass, she was a front-row Catholic,” he said. Her nieces and nephews said they were not surprised to learn that their aunt had bequeathed a large part of her estate to charities including Holy Trinity parish and cemetery as well as the Catholic Community Foundation for Eastern South Dakota. “We wanted you to know that we and many others have always held her in the highest regard. She was our classy, kind, loving, fun and generous Aunt Millie!”

President's Report

President's Report

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Dear Friends,

Thirty years ago, Bishop Paul Dudley, along with 20 clergy and lay leaders, met in Huron to establish what has become the Catholic Community Foundation for Eastern South Dakota. The July 1987 Bishop’s Bulletin quoted Bishop Paul Dudley, “It is my hope and prayer that the basic needs of our diocese can be guaranteed in perpetuity through such a foundation.” Bishop Dudley went on to explain that the foundation is planned as an “ongoing, perpetual support for the needs which we have now, and the needs which will surface in the future.” The Catholic Community Foundation began with $200,000 and today we are deeply grateful to manage $112 million. What an awesome privilege and responsibility we have to be a part of Bishop Dudley’s vision today!

The Catholic Community Foundation’s investment objectives are committed to Catholic moral and social values. In addition, the Catholic Community Foundation will not make distributions or grants to charities that are not consistent with the teachings of the Catholic Church. We ensure donors’ legacies forever follow their values and wishes, perpetually impacting the ministries they determine. It is with a deep sense of gratitude to God for his many blessings that we present this annual report of activities of the Catholic Community Foundation for Eastern South Dakota. This includes the financial statements from our annual independent audit by Eide Bailly LLP for fiscal year ending June 30, 2017. 

As Bishop Paul Swain’s episcopal motto states, we “Give praise to the Lord!”

Gratefully yours in Christ,

Mark Conzemius

Mark Conzemius
President of the Catholic Community Foundation for Eastern South Dakota
Meet Our Donors - Roger & Marcia Liebig

Meet Our Donors - Roger & Marcia Liebig

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Roger and Marcia Liebig

Roger and Marcia Liebig, from Gettysburg, recently established a Variable Deferred Charitable Gift Annuity with The Catholic Community Foundation for Eastern South Dakota. Marcia is the daughter of Lyle Griese who was a long time participant in the Gettysburg Fishing Tournament. He established the Griese family endowment to benefit t seminarian education in memory of his wife Josephine after she died. He died in 2011. Roger and Marcia Liebig received money from her dad’s estate and chose to use the money to establish the variable deferred charitable gift annuity. It is a way for them to have some income to supplement their retirement with the remainder of the annuity at the time of their deaths going to the Griese Family Endowment to carry on their family legacy. 

The Liebig’s have two sons and one daughter (a third son is deceased). They are members of Sacred Heart Parish, Gettysburg. The endowment became Marcia’s dad’s passion. He wanted “to continue to provide funding for seminarian education,” said Marcia. “I was aware that he had an annuity with the Catholic Community Foundation which upon his death was his donation. It made it very easy for us as his family.” The Liebig’s wanted to also make it easy for their own children going forward and, Marcia says, the children are supportive of their parents’ decision. Heather Fortin, of the Catholic Foundation for Eastern South Dakota, says this decision is special. “I believe it plants seeds,” she said. “Because an endowment is established it creates a document allowing loved ones to know what ministries are important to you.”  

The Liebig’s love being part of the Bishop’s Charity Fishing Tournament each year, another gift from Marcia’s dad and from the late Msgr. Marvin McPhee. “When attending these [events], the persistent energy to donate to the seminarian education was also greatly influenced by Msgr. Marvin McPhee,” Marcia pointed out. “Who could say ‘no’ to the Monsignor?”

Meet Our Donors -Justice & Heitgen

Meet Our Donors -Justice & Heitgen

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Harold and Monica Heitgen
Clarence and Phyllis Justice

Faith and a desire to generously share their blessings were commonalities shared by two South Dakota couples that probably never met, at least in this life. Harold and Monica Heitgen were long-time members of St. Mary, Salem. Monica passed away in 2014, joining Harold who had died several years ago. Their legacy of generosity will live on through the endowments they established for ministries they wanted to support from their estate and charitable trust. Similarly, Clarence Justice died in October of 2014, almost a year to the day after his wife Phyllis passed away. These stalwarts of Milbank left a deep impression not only at their parish and school but St. Lawrence but for other diocesan ministries including seminarian education. St. Lawrence pastor, Father Gary DeRouchey said, “The Justices were a wonderful example of the Sacrament of Holy Matrimony – a team in faith and life. Phyllis was Clarence’s sweetheart.” 

“They did not believe they were entitled to anything, but they went great lengths to be stewards of the many gifts God had given them. We see their generosity in the building of the new addition to the county museum, the new hospital and the addition to St. William’s (nursing home). Throughout their lives, they supported the different activities of St. Lawrence. They knew the importance of educating our children.” The Heitgen’s were a faithful couple who were humble about what they were able to share. “They were devout Catholics, faithful to daily Mass and devotions,” said their pastor, Fr. Martin Lawrence, at St. Mary, Salem. “They were generous but practical: they installed the central air conditioning and heating in our church, paved the roads in our cemetery, paved our church basement as part of the 2008 restoration, all practical projects. 

It will be a blessing for years to come to assist us in ministry, both in the parish and in our parish school, which was very dear to the Heitgen’s,” Fr. Lawrence said. “It was truly a privilege to come to know them and help them, “said Bette Theobald from the Catholic Community Foundation, who worked with both couples. “It is truly a legacy of faith that will last because we were able to find the right charitable tools to achieve the goals unique to each, but which now will benefit the parish, school and a host of broader ministries long into the future,” she said.