Twenty-five years ago, a group of volunteers formed the Wasatch Community Foundation and set out to fund local projects and assist other nonprofit organizations to streamline their fundraising efforts.
Since then, it has raised and granted millions to initiatives across the Heber Valley.
While the organization typically hosts an annual fundraising dinner, this year’s event will take a different tone. Board member Bruce Wardle says they’re shifting the focus to celebration.
“This year we decided to focus a little bit less on raising more money and instead celebrating the achievements of our first 25 years,” Wardle said. “Today, our foundation is one of the most active volunteer-based nonprofits in the entire Heber Valley, perhaps the Wasatch Back, for the simple reason that we have a vast number of projects that we work on which are all vetted and very volunteer driven.”
Recent projects supported by the foundation include arts, recreation, and health programs – ranging from grants to the valley’s four performing art theaters and the Wasatch County Arts Council, to the new pump track in Southfield Park. The foundation is also a key supporter of the annual free Thanksgiving dinner, happening this year on Nov. 22, which serves hundreds of meals to foster community connection and reduce isolation.
The foundation also supports early childhood programs, special needs programs and the Woodbury School's Hospitality Management program at the UVU Wasatch campus.
The 25th anniversary celebration is set for Thursday, Sept. 25 from 6 p.m. to 8 p.m. at Midway Town Hall and will feature dinner by local purveyor Hidden Peak Provisions and live entertainment by a local singer-songwriter.
“We focus at this celebration on all things Heber Valley. After a good dinner, we'll have food stations around and allow people to mix and mingle, and to take a look at some of the work of the five committees that serve the community. Then we have a local entertainer, Alicia Stockman is a singer and a songwriter, and she's going to be performing with her band for the second hour.”
Tickets are $150. Here is the link to purchase online.
