Boyne Valley Lions Club Boyne City Endowment for Student Success

For many years, the Boyne Valley Lions Club supported youth in Boyne City and Boyne Falls through the Clive and Ruby Vollick Scholarship Fund, through the Charlevoix County Community Foundation. Recently, the Club reassessed the needs of local youth while also observing the changing climate of career education beyond high school and concluded it was a time for change. They realized that they could help more students with those same dollars and still support their many varied educational and career paths by changing their scholarship fund to two endowments for Student Success. Thus, the Boyne Valley Lions Club Endowment for Student Success for Boyne City and the Boyne Valley Lions Club Endowment for Student Success for Boyne Falls were established.

Lions Club President Lisa Luebke shared, “Helping students not only supports our mission, but it also helps to empower our youth with resources to keep them in our area. Maybe even become future Lions Club members!” When asked about how she and the Club feel about the change from a scholarship fund to endowments for Student Success she said, “This is a natural progression for us, as we are already very involved with both the robotics and hospitality classes. Student Success grants are a way we can help more students while keeping that support local. It’s great for everyone involved.”

Endowments for Student Success benefit students across Charlevoix County by removing barriers to learning, providing enrichment opportunities, and encouraging students to become successful community citizens in partnership with the local public schools. “Schools are meeting all kinds of needs for local kids and families – from enriching activities like robotics, drama, and athletics to health, mental health, and wellness needs,” said Chip Hansen, President of the Community Foundation. “We know that although schools have resources, there are always gaps where additional dollars can make a real difference for students.”