Leaving a legacy

“It takes a village,” said Chadwick S. Lange during the annual Owatonna Foundation Legacy Luncheon, “unless you have Ken and Norma Wilcox in your community for over 40 years.”
The Wilcoxs were honored during the luncheon with the Spirit of the Community Award for their many contributions to the community since coming to town in 1963. Through their love of community, and their generous efforts, Ken and Norma have positively impacted the city they’ve called home these 50 some years.
“We’ve had just an exceptionally wonderful life in Owatonna,” Norma said before thanking everyone in attendance, those at the foundation, and her and Ken’s family.
Their legacy includes Ken’s involvement with hockey, which led to the construction of the Four Seasons Centre in 1972, his tenure as president of the Louis Sullivan Bank from 1976 to 2000, during which it was successfully remodeled and restored, and his support for programs like Young Life, which used to hold its annual cake auction at the bank, the Owatonna Rotary Club, United Way of Steele County, and many more.
Norma’s contributions include serving as president of the Owatonna Women’s Club, volunteer work for Big Brothers/Big Sisters and the American Field Service, and is also noted for her work as a member of the Owatonna Hospital board.
As Lange explained before introducing the Wilcoxs, “our lives have been enriched beyond measure by Ken and Norma Wilcox.” While discussing their work, Lange specifically singled out Ken’s tenure at the bank, noting that he helped preside over the remodel which preserved much of its original design.
Upon accepting the award, Norma told the audience “you guys are going to make me cry now,” before adding, “congratulations for how the Owatonna Foundation has grown.”
Earlier in the luncheon, guest speaker Chris Fulton, executive director of the Grand Rapids Area Community Foundation, stressed the importance of building a community legacy in the manner that the Wilcox family has.
“Sixty years from now the community is still going to be here, and this group has led the way to make a difference for your children and grandchildren,” Fulton said during his speech. He also defined this support as active hope, as opposed to passive hope. “Active hope is when people are taking an active role to make their community a better place.”
With such a long list of contributions from people like Ken and Norma Wilcox, as well as the many donors, members, and supporters of the Owatonna Foundation, the dream of a continually prospering Owatonna becomes much more tangible.
“To me legacy is not about what, it’s about why; why do you love your community, and why do you want to do good,” Fulton said after giving some examples of those from his own community who have contributed in similar fashion as the Wilcox’s.
He also touched upon the main theme of his speech, what he called rural philanthropy, and explained that, “what’s significantly affecting our rural communities is an outflow of money.” Fulton also equated the community to one’s own family and wondered, “what happens if you treat the community as one of your family members?”
Overall it was a successful year for the Owatonna Foundation, which continues to build the community in numerous ways, whether it’s the arts, recreation, education, or important services like the food shelf and clothesline, which help provide Steele County residents with necessary amenities.
Nancy Ness, director of the food shelf, was there to talk about the important impact that a grant from the Owatonna Foundation has had on her organization. “I just can’t say enough for Owatonna, you people are a big part of this,” she said concerning the recent remodel in which they combined both the food shelf and the clothesline into one by creating a “hole in the wall.”
“It’s really about the folks that we’re serving,” Ness said. “Those we serve really needed it,” she added of the grant received from the Owatonna Foundation.
Tom Dufresne, who serves as a trustee for the Owatonna Foundation, expressed the need for continuing in this legacy of community investment. “A legacy only survives as long as current generations continue to keep it alive, it’s up to us,” he said.
The Owatonna Foundation has continued to improve its community, and has given out grants totaling $11 million since 1958. With generous and supporting families like the Wilcox’s, the future of Owatonna continues to look bright.