Eustis couple's dedication will support community for generations

Community spirit runs deep in Eustis. Judy and Don Brockmeier have witnessed firsthand how this spirit fuels not only their hometown but countless others across the state.

"All these communities are a little different, but pretty similar," Don said, relating his experience as a member of the South Platte Chamber of Commerce and longtime banker in south central Nebraska. "They have the same ideas, the same goals."

In Eustis, the goal is maintaining a quality of life that makes the town magnetic for those returning and those entirely new to the community. You could say the same or something similar for almost every affiliated fund in the Nebraska Community Foundation (NCF) network.

The Eustis Area Community Foundation Fund (EACFF) is an important player in people attraction efforts, with a volunteer fund advisory committee working to enrich the community and create spaces for opportunity and innovation. Judy was a key figure in establishing EACFF in 2004, inspired by the different, but similar, town of Stuart in north central Nebraska.

Judy had heard NCF President and CEO Jeff Yost speak on a few occasions. Intrigued by the nonprofit's mission, she and others in Eustis sought more information. What they learned from volunteers with the Stuart Community Foundation Fund convinced them to start a fund of their own for Eustis.

"That was a town that just impressed us," Judy said. "What they accomplished was amazing. We just kept hearing about this, and it was like, 'I think we can do that here in town.'"

Using seed money from the local bank and a fundraising challenge issued by future NCF Board member Brian Thompson's Consolidated Companies, volunteers created EACFF and, within the fund, an unrestricted endowment account. Unrestricted endowments function somewhat like a community savings account that generates yearly income for community-building projects. That "unrestricted" part is key-it means it isn't designated for any specific use or project, making it a source of funding for whatever dreams residents can imagine. Because the principal remains untouched, it grows with every gift. So does the annual payout.

"Our first return was $500," Judy said. "It doesn't sound like much, but we were excited."

The endowment's annual payout now sits at around $20,000 and volunteers still get excited watching that figure grow every year. They also have confidence that NCF stewards the investments wisely with their community's best interests in mind. Donors appreciate that as well.

"As a small community, we just don't have the knowledge and experience to invest money and manage it, plus we're all volunteers so if you quit the next person may not have the same knowledge," Judy said. "That's what I think is so great about Nebraska Community Foundation, they're here for us. It gives us security."

Volunteers know that as the annual payout gets bigger, so does their impact. Every additional dollar is money that can be granted toward projects, programs, or people that make Eustis a great place to live. Many of the town's most beloved amenities and events have received grants from EACFF, such as the school's football field, local childcare facilities, the senior center, and the Eustis-Farnam Community Wellness Center.

The wellness center is one of Judy's favorite projects she's been involved with over the years, the seed for which sprouted during a 2013 community visioning session hosted by EACFF and NCF. After multiple years and $700,000 raised, the center became a reality. It didn't just bring a cutting-edge facility to town - it helped connect older generations to younger residents. Everyone in town can use the wellness center, and they do.

"One of the things that makes me feel really great is when you leave town in the morning at 6 a.m. there are a whole bunch of cars there," Judy said. "It's being utilized."

Intergenerational co-creation is central to EACFF's mission. The fund advisory committee strives to include people of all ages and backgrounds to ensure decisions are made in the best interests of every resident in town and further afield.

"I think it makes a difference if you can get young couples involved in the community," Judy said. Your projects will be successful."

The Brockmeiers' commitment to their community and future generations will continue into the foreseeable future. That enduring impact won't just come from the many gifts they've made over the years, but also from their planned gifts to benefit the EACFF unrestricted endowment. The couple have designated both EACFF and NCF beneficiaries on multiple financial accounts. For them, it's a matter of paying it forward.

"If you had success, there was probably somebody that helped you along," Don said. "By contributing to a forward-looking fund, you're going to be helping other people succeed."

Unrestricted endowments and planned gifts make perfect partners when it comes to preparing Greater Nebraska for a prosperous future. This decade, more than $100 billion will transfer from one Nebraska generation to the next. In Eustis' Frontier County, $298 million is expected to transfer. Some of that wealth may be held in real estate, securities, retirement accounts, and other assets. Some will go to taxes, while most will go to heirs who may live out of state.

Nebraska Community Foundation's Five to Thrive campaign asks Nebraskans to consider leaving just 5% of their assets to their favorite community or to Nebraska Community Foundation to benefit all our hometowns. If every Nebraskan did so, that would amount to $5 billion in this decade alone to build unrestricted endowments like Eustis' in communities across the state. That $5 billion, if endowed, would continue to grow, giving people in hometowns across the state the capital to pursue their dreams. When we all leave five, Nebraska thrives.

If your community is interested in starting its own localized Five to Thrive campaign to build an unrestricted endowment, Nebraska Community Foundation is here to help. Contact Director of Gift Planning Todd Mekelburg by phone at 402.323.7343 or by email at [email protected] to learn more.

For information on how you can give back to your hometown, contact Nebraska Community Foundation's Office of Planned Giving, 402.323.7330 or [email protected].