Brainerd, Minnesota – For their longtime dedication to education and service in the community, Marlee Larson and Pat Altrichter have been named by the Brainerd Lakes Area Women’s Fund as the 2017 Women Making Waves recipients. These two leaders and friends will be honored at the Brainerd Lakes Area Women’s Fund annual event on May 10.
Marlee Larson served as principal of the ISD 181 Learning Center, which includes the Alternative Education Center, the Middle Level Alternative Program and the Early Childhood Family Education Center. According to the nomination letter, “Marlee has made significant contributions to the improved health, wellness and education of students in our area. If anyone has had the opportunity to see and hear Marlee advocate for her many disadvantaged students, you have most certainly seen her heart and soul exposed in the effort to advocate for a better life for all those she touches. She sees the good and endless possibilities in every young person she meets.”
Pat Altrichter has served the Brainerd School District as a teacher, gifted and talented coordinator, teacher mentorship coordinator, school principal and ISD 181 Director of Elementary Curriculum. Her community service volunteer activities have included Brainerd Public Schools Foundation Board, Kinship Board, Crow Wing Lake Association and St. Andrew’s Catholic Church. She is currently the chair of The Crossing Arts Alliance Board.
An endorsement reads, “Pat’s strong leadership, as well as her passion for an engaged involvement in the non-profit arena, make her an exceptional and deserving candidate for this honor. Besides being tireless when it comes to solving problems and maneuvering obstacles, Pat has an exceptional ability to always see both sides of the story. Her thoughtful analysis of potential adversity allows everyone involved an opportunity to pause and reflect on what are not always obvious concerns. Her collaborative skill set brings out the best in every committee and group.”
Larson and Altrichter will be presented their awards at the Brainerd Lakes Area Women’s Fund annual event on May 10 at Arrowwood Lodge in Baxter. The event begins at 5:30 p.m. and includes dinner and cash bar. Tickets are $50 and are available at www.communitygiving.org/events.
The Women Making Waves Award annually recognizes women who have significantly contributed to the field of philanthropy in the region, personally or professionally sharing time, talent and financial resources in their community. The Brainerd Lakes Area Women’s Fund is part of the Brainerd Lakes Area Community Foundation.
The Brainerd Lakes Area Community Foundation (BLACF), in affiliation with CommunityGiving, is a public charity that attracts and administers charitable funds for the benefit of the local community. Since 1998, BLACF has grown to over $8.7 million in assets and awarded over $4.1 million in grants to local nonprofits. CommunityGiving is a collaboration of community foundations united under a single framework to create efficiencies that maximize the impact of our donors. The core foundations working with CommunityGiving include the Alexandria Area Community Foundation, the Brainerd Lakes Area Community Foundation, the Central Minnesota Community Foundation and the Willmar Area Community Foundation. Collectively, CommunityGiving administers more than 650 funds totaling more than $123 million. Learn more at CommunityGiving.org/Brainerd
