Photo by Kelly Blackledge
As summer days are on the horizon, you may have started daydreaming about spending time in the sunshine at a baseball game, in the cool water of your local pool, or exploring your favorite natural space. Behind many of our favorite west central Minnesota summer activities and places are passionate and hardworking volunteers protecting and growing our local treasurers. At West Central Initiative, we partner with more than 800 volunteers doing the groundwork to ensure that a vibrant, inclusive, and sustainable world starts here in west central Minnesota.
April is National Volunteer Month. In celebration, I’ll take you on a reading adventure to share stories of the impact of volunteers. We’ll catch a game at the ball field in Wheaton, then cool off at the Parkers Prairie Aquatic Center, and finally visit Tamarac National Wildlife Refuge in Becker County.
Wheaton-Dumont Ball Field
The crack of the baseball against the bat is followed by the joyful cheers of the crowd. The Saints Amateur Team and youth baseball bring everyone from the Wheaton-Dumont area together during the summer. Wheaton ball field is a gathering place for the community that is based on the work of volunteers. The Wheaton-Dumont Area Community Fund (WDCF) leads fundraising efforts for the ball field and many other local projects.
Chere Rikimoto, a volunteer with WDCF, shares a win from her time as a volunteer, “We have a volunteer committee doing the leg work for the baseball field improvement project along with WDCF, the city of Wheaton, and the Park Board. We’ve made great progress in raising money for the improvements. This committee’s enthusiasm is contagious.”
Parkers Prarie Aquatic Center
Parkers Prairie Aquatic Center is an oasis that brings the community and surrounding area together in the summer. The Parkers Prairie Public Swimming Pool Fund volunteers ensure that funds are always there to keep the pool open each summer.
Beth Wussow, City Administrator, shares the impact of the aquatic center on the community:
“The construction of the Parkers Prairie Aquatic Center was made possible by some very generous individuals, groups, businesses, and civic clubs. Years of dedication by the fundraising and steering committees resulted in the construction of an amazing facility. The endowment funds set aside will ensure proper maintenance and upkeep for many years to come.”
“The Aquatic Center is a safe place for people in our community to enjoy a fun physical activity for a reasonable price. Hundreds of children take swimming lessons at our pool each year.”
“During the 2022 summer season, the Aquatic Center brought in 7,374 guests. When guests visit from other cities, they tend to stay for the whole day and support many of our other local businesses. We’re fortunate to have the Aquatic Center in our community and thankful for the generous folks who brought this fantastic idea to Parkers Prairie and had the dedication to see the project through!”
Tamarac National Wildlife Refuge
Tamarac National Wildlife Refuge is a place of wonder with wide-open prairies, thick forests, and sparkling lakes echoing with the swans’ songs. The volunteers of Friends of Tamarac National Wildlife Refuge Endowment Fund want to make sure that this public space will be a place for the community to come together and appreciate the outdoors and the natural environment for generations to come.
Jim Snyder, Chair of the Endowment Fund, shares why he volunteers: “This beautiful and diverse natural landscape should be shared. Friends of Tamarac volunteers help make this happen by connecting with youth and adults through focused projects. Our Lasting Legacy Endowment Fund ensures Friends of Tamarac will continue connecting people with nature for generations!”
The work of volunteers brings vibrancy to the region with lively community projects like the Wheaton ball field. It helps create inclusive and sustainable communities with gathering spaces like the Parkers Prairie Aquatics Center and through initiatives that will have a lasting impact, such as the Friends of Tamarac Lasting Legacy Endowment. Thank you to all volunteers for your passion-driven work and the local gems you protect and grow in our region.
Honor your local volunteers during National Volunteer Month with a gift to their fund or project. You can search by community or county and give online at: old.wcif.org/local-giving.
About the Author
Samantha VanWechel-Meyer has a long history with fundraising, from high school track “rockathons” to professional campaign administration and fundraising training. She uses her experience to support community organizers in their efforts to positively impact their communities in her role as Community Philanthropy Officer at West Central Initiative. You can find her in her hometown, Fergus Falls, with her husband, Derek, children Myles and Zinnia, and three dogs.
