Blog
The sound of kindness
The Bob and Jean Marck Family Fund David Marck jokes that while some people summer in the Hamptons or Tuscany, he summers in La Crosse. A professional jazz pianist based in New York City, Marck returns to his hometown each year for a season that blends gigs, gratitude, and giving back. It’s not just the…
Logrolling leader champions sport and connection
World Champion logroller growing a sport and strengthening a community Livi Pappadopolous doesn’t just keep her balance on a log — she’s also mastered the art of building and sustaining a thriving community. As founder and director of Coulee Region Logrolling, and a six-time Logrolling World Champion, Pappadopolous has turned a niche sport into a…
How one La Crosse organization is shaping a greener future
Carrie Thompson and Sustainability Institute connect people, ideas, and action Picture a community where clean air and fresh water aren’t just a dream but a shared goal. The Sustainability Institute, led by Executive Director Carrie Thompson, is on a mission to make that vision a reality. Since 2012, the institute has connected people, ideas, and…
Carol Taebel named 2025 Forever Friends Award recipient
La Crosse Area Community Foundation honors educator and community champion La Crosse Area Community Foundation honored Carol Taebel, a beloved educator, volunteer, and lifelong advocate for community and compassion, with its 2025 Forever Friends Award recipient. A retired elementary teacher and active volunteer, Taebel has quietly and consistently shaped the community through a lifetime of…
Celebrating Juneteenth Through Community Art
Launching a Juneteenth community art project in La Crosse On Juneteenth in 2023, we launched something special. At La Crosse Area Community Foundation, we believe art has the power to bring people together, spark conversation, and reflect the vibrant diversity of our community. To honor Juneteenth and celebrate Black freedom and culture, we kicked off…
Norah Miller steps into community engagement at LACF
La Crosse Area Community Foundation is excited to welcome Norah Miller as this year’s Community Engaged Fellow! Originally from Menomonee Falls, Norah attends the University of Wisconsin – La Crosse, where she is studying marketing with minors in international business and sustainable business. At UWL, she serves on the board of Students for Sustainability as…
Quarter 2 Mini Grant Awards
The frigid weather is finally behind us and the sun is giving Vitamin D that is life-giving, warming, and energizing! As the pollinators and plants move into the next season, so does our competitive grantmaking. For Quarter 2, we received over $400K in requests and had approximately $100,000 to distribute for this round. However, that…
More than a game: Honoring Robin Finco
A life of compassion, character, and the game he loved When Fran and Billie Finco lost their son Robin unexpectedly in the summer of 2023, their world stopped. “It was a hemorrhagic stroke — he called 911 himself,” Billie said. “Within 24 hours, he was gone.” In the days that followed, the outpouring of love…
Guided by scent, powered by community
How La Crosse’s K-9 unit supports community and dementia care When a person with dementia goes missing, time matters. Confusion, memory loss, and vulnerability, especially in extreme temperatures, can quickly turn a wandering incident into a crisis. That’s where La Crosse Police Officer Riley Carroll and his K-9 partner, Nash, come in. K-9 tracking: A…
Stronger communities start with stronger connections
The role of bridging social capital in creating a more resilient community At La Crosse Area Community Foundation, we often talk about the importance of connection. That’s because connections — between neighbors, between different groups of people, and between ideas — are what help communities grow stronger. One way to describe that kind of connection…