DEKALB COUNTY BUILDING & DEVELOPMENT ASSOCIATION STARTS NEW COMMUNITY FOUNDATION ENDOWMENT

The DeKalb County Building & Development Association has established an endowment that initially will benefit a wide range of community organizations, with a long-range focus on helping the organization's construction activities.

The endowment will be managed by the DeKalb County Community Foundation, the area's primary philanthropic agency geared to assist donors and non-profit groups throughout the county.

"This is another way our Association stays involved in our community," said Sal Bonanno, DCBDA president. "While we eventually want this endowment fund to be focused on those issues we're most interested in, such as educating a trained work force in home building, we wanted to get it going now to benefit the county at large."

Jerry Smith, Community Foundation executive director, explained that the endowment's language will initially allow the fund's earnings to be added to the Foundation's larger pool of funds used for grant-making to numerous non-profit organizations. Since its inception 10 years ago, the Community Foundation has been able to grant over $5.5 million back into the county non-profit community, Smith said.

"We thank the DCBDA for its vision in starting this endowment now," Smith added. "This is an example of the flexibility the Community Foundation has in tailoring a fund for an organization's evolving community participation."

This fund is one of several ways the local home builders' association has gotten involved in charitable activities. Among other projects has been a DCBDA scholarship fund at Kishwaukee College, an Armed Forces Fund to support local veterans involved the war on terrorism, and the group's financial assistance to the Kishwaukee Education Consortium's building trades program.

The Community Foundation can be contacted by calling Smith at (815)748-5383, or visiting its website at http://www.dekalbountyfoundation.org

DCBDA Helps Kishwaukee Education Consortium

FROM LEFT: Bruce Griffith, Kishwaukee Education Consortium; Ken Andersen, Elmer Larson LLC; Brian Grainger, Brian Grainger Construction; Mike Larson, Elmer Larson, LLC; Kathy Watkins, Kishwaukee Education Consortium; Sal Bonanno, DeKalb Associates; Ivan Krpan, Ivan Krpan Construction and DCBDA President.

Thanks to member participation in DCBDA events such as the annual Draw Down Dinner, the Home Expo and the Golf Outing, plus increasing membership, the DCBDA was able to donate $10,000 to the Kishwaukee Education Consortium's Building Trades program for High School juniors and seniors.

The money will be used to purchase construction modules for hands on training. The modules will provide training for framing and carpentry as well as plumbing and electrical work.  Included with the modules are additional training materials. 

In addition, the DCBDA has purchased a $10,000 Certificate of Deposit and has earmarked the interest from the CD to go towards an annual $500 scholarship to reward an outstanding student from Kishwaukee Education Consortium's program with an enhanced opportunity to further their education.

Did the DCBDA get a special deal on the interest rate?  You bet!  Dave Conlin, Investment Advisor with Castle Bank, and DCBDA Treasurer, twisted arms with his bank and came up with a 5% interest package.  Do the math.  In today's interest rates that is almost mortgage rates. Thanks Dave and Castle Bank!

Your membership and your participation in DCBDA events makes things happen!  THANK YOU!!!