St. Cloud, Minn. – The Central Minnesota Community Foundation (CMCF) is pleased to announce the recipients of this year’s Awards in Philanthropy. Mark Thelen will be receiving the Alex Didier Award in Philanthropy, Bill Martin-Chaffee will be receiving the Social Trust Award, and Rick Bauerly will be receiving the Community Builder Award. These individuals will be honored at the CMCF Annual Celebration of Philanthropy event that will take place on Thursday, September 12 from 5:00-7:30pm at the Holiday Inn in St. Cloud. For more information and to register to attend, interested parties can visit communitygiving.org/events or call (320) 253-4380.
Mark Thelen – Alex Didier Award in Philanthropy
The Alex Didier Award in Philanthropy recognizes a person or couple who has significantly contributed to the field of philanthropy in the region.
A member of our community, who has spent the majority of his life giving back to Central Minnesota is accepting the Alex Didier Award in Philanthropy. Mark Thelen is the founder of Thelen Advertising. Mark’s years of work in the community helped create lifelong relationships and friends, but also taught him about the gravity of the area’s needs. The stories of these needs motivated Mark to take organized action by partnering with the Central Minnesota Community Foundation. To help facilitate his charitable giving, Mark started The Thelen Fund at the Foundation in 1987. Over the years, Mark has given to organizations that are helping individuals and families meet their basic needs, so the recipients can focus on living a fuller, richer life. Along with donating privately and generously to individuals in need, Mark also supports numerous nonprofit organizations. Some of the organizations Mark has supported include Catholic Charities, Good Samaritan Fund, the Boys and Girls Clubs, the Salvation Army, Tri-County Humane Society and Anne Marie’s Alliance, among many others.
Bill Martin-Chaffee – Social Trust Award
The Social Trust Award recognizes the often-unsung hero of community building: the Weaver; an individual who is actively building social trust across the Greater St. Cloud community.
William (Bill) Martin-Chaffee was born and raised on a small beef farm in Hinckley, Minnesota. Bill graduated from St. Cloud State University with a degree in Business Management and Human Resources while serving in the MN Army National Guard as a Chaplain’s Assistant. For the past 18 years, Bill has been the Administrative Manager for BRAMER Medical Services, a medical consulting company that he runs along with his husband of 10 years, Dr. Edward (Chip) Martin-Chaffee. Bill and Chip have two school-aged children who joined their family through celebrated adoptions facilitated by Lutheran Social Services. Bill currently serves on numerous nonprofit boards that focus on diversity, equity, inclusion and belonging work in Central Minnesota. Bill is also an active volunteer in the community, he currently is a mentor at Bethlehem Lutheran Church and has volunteered for the Women’s Fund of the Central Minnesota Community Foundation. In his free time, you’ll likely find Bill in the garden, tending the bees, or smoking something on the grill.
Rick Bauerly – Community Builder Award
The Community Builder Award recognizes an individual or organization who has increased social capital through the bridging and bonding across our diverse community.
Rick was raised on a farm and in a family business where he felt the dignity of work. Through experience, he has seen the importance of both efficiency and equity in our organizations. From the example of the Benedictines, he has witnessed the blessings of living in community. As Founder & CEO of Granite Partners, Rick and so many colleagues have tried to bring these values into the missions of Granite Partners, the Granite Partners Foundation, and Granite Charitable. Today, leaders across the Granite community are growing companies to create value for all stakeholders and enhance the vitality of our communities.
