Willmar, Minn. –The Willmar Area Community Foundation (WACF) is pleased to announce the recipients of this year’s Awards in Philanthropy. Smitty and Loren Luschen will be receiving the 2025 Award in Philanthropy, Wayne Nelson will be receiving the 2025 Innovative Impact Award, and Lake Region Bank will be receiving the 2025 Community Builder Award. These recipients will be honored at the WACF Awards in Philanthropy Celebration that will take place on Thursday, October 9 from 5:30-9:30pm at the Willmar Conference Center. For more information, interested parties can visit communitygiving.org/events or call (320) 235-4380.
Smitty and Loren Luschen
A young college student from Benson, MN needed a term paper typed at the University of Minnesota. He found a business graduate from Willmar, MN nearby who charged him 25 cents a page. That luck turned into love and a 58-year marriage for Smitty and Loren Luschen.
“When I was 5, my dad had a heart attack at the age of 34. Many neighbors helped my mother keep the farm running-from milking, to raising livestock and harvesting crops-while my dad recovered. My sister and I didn’t go without our summer Bible Camp or music lessons, even though things were tight financially,” Smitty shares. “Later in life, I found out my uncles had stepped in to make sure we always had what we needed. I distinctly remember my mom putting $1 into the Willmar Community Chest envelope to help others and the church offering weekly. These examples shaped my thinking to help whenever I could, even in small ways,” she notes.
After Loren graduated from the U of M, he went to work for the Farmers Home Administration, Rural Development and Farm Service Agency, kicking off a 33-year career in government working primarily with agri-business and non-profits in rural Minnesota. Loren recalls, “It was a good job and we saw a lot of the state. We moved seven times in fourteen years! Roseau, Ortonville, Thief River Falls, Little Falls, Marshall, Cottage Grove and finally we were glad to settle down in Smitty’s hometown of Willmar.” The Luschen’s joined Jaycee’s during their stop in Thief River Falls as a way to meet new people and get involved. Their service via Jaycees followed them to each new community, affording leadership opportunities and earning them recognition as Outstanding Couple of the Year at a statewide level. They are proud of being retired Jaycee members and credit that time with instilling a solid base of volunteerism and giving back into their family. Today, they remain active in the Willmar Rotary Club, Willmar Lions and Calvary Lutheran Church while enjoying travel and time with their 3 grandchildren and 2 grand-dogs.
In the early years, Smitty worked in business in the metro area, became an expert in moving a household and then welcoming their two children, Terry and Toni. “When we moved back to Willmar, I was fortunate to find a job at Heritage Bank who encouraged their staff to be involved in the community. I decided I’d just do one thing at a time so I could balance work, home and volunteering,” says Smitty. That led to years of service to the Willmar Chamber, United Way, BPW and many more organizations for her. Smitty is especially proud of helping to establish the Willmar Area Community Foundation and the Willmar Women’s Fund noting “I am so proud of how the members are now leading those groups to do such important work.” Loren was a dedicated Boy Scout leader before retiring from government service and joining Lutheran Social Services as a credit counselor in his final work chapter. “Small towns and rural people are special. People just take care of one another, understand hard work and can really have fun together,” notes Loren.
While Loren developed a passion for golf and a good coffee club, Smitty found a new use for her lifelong sewing skills as an avid quilter. A member of the Country Quilters Guild, Smitty has served in several leadership roles and has married up that love of quilting and charitable giving, donating dozens of hand sewn quilts to local non-profit organizations to use in their fundraising efforts. “You always feel better about yourself if you are able to give back, whether it’s making a pan of bars for an event, sharing something from your garden with a neighbor or sending funds to a favorite charity. It’s important to become involved and work for the better good of your community. Everyone can do something small that really makes a difference,” shares Smitty.
The Willmar Area Community Foundation is pleased to recognize the outstanding legacy of service and generosity of Smitty and Loren Luschen with the 2025 Award in Philanthropy.
Wayne Nelson
The Willmar Area Community Foundation is pleased to recognize Wayne Nelson with the 2025 Innovative Impact Award. This award seeks to honor individuals or organizations who have deeply impacted local philanthropy, activated volunteerism and addressed community needs.
Wayne is an unabashed fan of the Willmar Lakes Area and has loved it since moving here as a child in 1961. “My life changed the day we moved to Willmar from Clarkfield. The opportunities here shaped my life, and I’ve always been proud to call Willmar home. 95% of what you need to thrive is right here and the remaining 5% you can get to quickly,” shares Wayne.
After earning a degree from Concordia College in Moorhead, Wayne married his wife Linda, a nurse, and started their family. He also started a 41-year career in banking, the longest portion at Heritage Bank. “I’ve always lived by Luke 12:48: ‘To whom much is given, much is required.’ We’ve been able to raise our kids here with great opportunities. I’ve had wonderful role models in my parents, in-laws and employers and a supportive spouse. The community is full of amazing people who work together to get things done. I’ve been given much, so I’m called to give as much back as I can-it is very rewarding,” he notes.
This seasoned volunteer has found himself strutting down First Street wearing a sandwich board sign to promote a local fundraiser when the bank staff hit their fundraising goal. He’s served on over 25 local boards, including WACF, and just after retiring, donned a safety vest to serve as a Build Captain at the Destination Playground. “That project was just incredible. I met so many new people who were ready to work hard for something bigger than any one of us. It’s a great example of what the community can do together, and I am so proud of the legacy we built for our kids,” reflects Wayne. His youngest grandson calls the playground Papa’s Park which brings both a big smile and tears to his eyes as he shares the story.
When asked to advise others about why to volunteer or how to get involved in community Wayne shares, “Find your passion. When you are asked to serve, they see something in you and need you to share it. Resist the urge to say no—talented people here shape so much when they give their time. Board service isn’t scary. It can be very rewarding. Just dive in and know you’ll learn as you go. It’s also an affordable way to say thank you to organizations who helped you, your kids or those you care about. Giving your time is worth it, it’s not expensive and everyone can do it. It has been one of the best parts of my life and it starts by just saying Yes.”
Lake Region Bank
In January 1915, a local group determined there was a need for a new community bank and chartered what is known today as Lake Region Bank. That 110-year history is full of changes but also constantly focusing on customer service and community engagement. The last 55 years have added community philanthropy as a core value for the bank, now solely owned by the Vollan family.
“My dad Paul really introduced giving back into the bank culture in the 1970’s,” notes Clark Vollan, President of Lake Region Bank. “He encouraged all of us to get involved in local endeavors and modeled us being a true community bank chartered to help grow the communities we serve. A community bank is a solid indicator of a strong community, and we are proud of our commitment to our region.”
Lake Region Bank is full of people who not only enjoy banking but love people. “You aren’t just a number to us. We know you by name, know your family, support your business and invest into the community because we are your neighbors and we know it matters,” adds Haley Schrupp, Operations Associate and part of the third generation of Vollan family helming the bank.
Mike Malone, Vice President of the commercial banking team at Lake Region, shares “When I started at the bank, I was encouraged to pick something to get involved with. The bank allows paid time to volunteer, we support many community causes and organizations, and we treat one another like a family. That has led to many long-term staff who truly love it here because we care about one another beyond our jobs. It’s an extraordinary company who cares about its people, customers and community more than the bottom line.”
Examples of Lake Region Bank’s impact locally can be easily found in local non-profits they support or lead as donors to essential services like local ambulance and emergency services. Clark Vollan commented, “We are proud of a recent gift to help the Sunburg Ambulance secure needed equipment to better serve our communities. That equipment was used immediately, helping a neighbor in need, and it was a game changer. It will save lives, and we are so grateful we were part of that. It’s important that we all do what we can to help because doing it together is how it all gets worked out.”
110 years of banking history, countless examples of generosity and an unwavering commitment to the region they serve make Lake Region Bank more than deserving of the 2025 Community Builder Award from the Willmar Area Community Foundation. Congratulations to their team!
The Willmar Area Community Foundation (WACF) attracts and administers charitable funds for the benefit of the local Willmar area. Since 1998, WACF has grown to $33.3 million in assets and awarded $18.3 million in grants to nonprofits. The WACF is governed by a local board of directors and is a partner of CommunityGiving, which is a network of community foundations united under a single framework to create efficiencies that maximize the impact of our donors. Collectively, CommunityGiving administers over 1,300 funds totaling over $283 million in assets. Learn more at CommunityGiving.org/Willmar.
