While most of our DAF fund gifts remain local, donors Craig and Lori Schellberg, extend their impact to the international community through their involvement with the Lions Club International Foundation (LCIF). In 2018, Craig began serving as his district’s LCIF coordinator, where he learned about their ambitious $300 million goal and the global impact it would have. At the January 2022 convention, Schellberg saw how close his district was to meeting their goal and wanted to find a way to help promote it. Craig is a bicycle enthusiast and immediately thought of a 100+ mile ride through the district (known as a ‘century ride’), something he has done eight times before. He and his son Grant plotted a ride from Fergus Falls to St. Joseph Minnesota along the Central Lakes/Lake Wobegon trail.
To prepare, Craig rode 20-60 miles every other day, frequently along the trails at Sibley State Park and Glacial Lakes. At 6:30am on June 4th , they began the century ride at ‘Otto the Big Otter’ statue in Fergus Falls. With Lori driving the assist vehicle and forecasting arrivals to district Lion clubs along the route, Craig and Grant spent just over 7 hours on their bike seats. The ride totaled 10 hours 25 minutes due to stops in several communities to chat with people and rest. To entice others to support the cause during the ride, Craig and Lori matched donations up to $2,500.
“All together, we raised just over $10,000 from the fundraiser”, Schellberg said. “One hundred percent of it goes to help those in need. At the international convention, I was thrilled to hear that the $300 million goal was exceeded and was proud to have helped my district be part of that.”
Craig said, “We’ve been very blessed over the years. I would call my current stage in life as ‘repurposed’. I still have plenty to do managing our farm properties, but we are also blessed with the great connections Lori and I have made through philanthropic activities with Lions Club International Foundation, our local Spicer Sunrise Lions Club and the WACF that keeps us grounded each day with purpose. Lori also volunteers as a leader with the SAIL program (Stay Active and Independent for Life) which is a senior exercise falls prevention program administered through Americorps Seniors RSVP – Ecumen. She is a certified trainer for program leaders. As a Lion she serves as Spicer Club president and is a trustee on the Minnesota Lions Diabetes Foundation.”
Besides LCIF, his local Lions club and WACF, Craig and Lori support many local non-profits including Let’s Go Fishing, Special Olympics, United Way of West Central MN, The Link, MN Lions Hearing Foundation, Habitat for Humanity, and their local church. “This is typical for our donor advised fund holders,” shares Sara Carlson, WACF Executive Director. “They have wide interests and passions that they faithfully support using their funds at WACF. While most of those gifts stay right here in Kandiyohi County, the collective impact our donors make is enormous. It is our privilege to work with them to do that.”