Combined Appeal Bumps Campaign Goal to $185,000

    Organizers of the annual fundraising campaign for Grant County Combined Appeal (GCCA) have set the goal for this year’s campaign at $185,000. That’s up from last year’s target of $182,900.  
    The GCCA is an organization that fundraises and distributes funds to local agencies. The group’s motto is People Helping People. Organizers stress that all funds raised go to assist Grant County residents.
    With Craig Wellnitz serving as the fundraising coordinator again this year, the organization kicked of the campaign with the small business blitz on Wednesday, September 18. “We had a very successful blitz,” Wellnitz reported. Right out of the starting blocks, the GCCA is already at seven percent of the goal and the donations are just starting to be made.
    The goal is $2,900 higher than the 2018 target, in part, because the requests from agencies fluctuate from year to year and there is also one new agency, Cub Scout Pack 38, requesting funds, so there are 18 agencies.
    The list of agencies that will receive funding through the combined appeal fall into three categories – health and human service, education and youth development.  They are the Grant County Child Protection Team, Grant County Heart/Diabetes Fund, Milbank Ball Diamond Association, The Salvation Army, Unity Square financial scholarship program, Grant County ARC, Milbank Community Transit, Inter-Lakes Community Action  (ICAP), NEGL Red Cross, Milbank Boy Scout Troop 45, Cub Scout Pack 38, Big Stone City School OST program, ICAP 60s Plus dining program, Imagination Library, Milbank Area Lions Swim Team (MALST), Milbank High School clay target team, Milbank Area Community Tennis Association (MACTA) and Unity Square recreational programs.
    Wellnitz reminds the public that each of the agencies submitted a request for funds earlier this year. Representatives of the agencies requesting funding had to interview with the board in July. The GCCA board reviewed the applications and set the fundraising goal to provide assistance to the agencies.
    Fundraising comes to the organization through the annual small business blitz, pacesetter organizations and individual donors.
    Many of the pacesetter businesses have fundraising opportunities among the staff or for the public to participate in during the course of the fundraising campaign.
    The pacesetter organizations are Big Stone Therapies, Big Stone School District, Dakota Granite, First Bank and Trust, Gesswein Motors, Great Western Bank, Milbank Community Foundation, Milbank Avera Medical Center and Hospital, Milbank School District, Milbank School District, Poet, Otter Tail Power Company, State Auto, United Hardware and Valley Queen Cheese.
    Members of the public can donate now through the end of November to help reach this year’s goal. Donations can be mailed to or dropped off at the Milbank Community Foundation inside Unity Square at 904 East 4th Avenue, Milbank, SD 57252. For additional donating options, contact Wellnitz at 605-432-9000 or craig@milbankcf.org.