History of the Cambridge Foundation

Our History

Foundation Funds For West Side Park
Left-to-Right: Ed Swain, Grant Bilstad, Neal Smithback, Dr. Karl Amundson, Don Rumpf, Art Melster, A.R. Amundson, Photo: Jeffrey Wrolstad

 

The Cambridge Foundation was established in 1947 and ever since, we've had a successful history of planning and executing our plans to make the Cambridge area a better place to live.

In the summer of 1947, 30 area businessmen joined together to form an organization that would "associate together everyone interested in the future of the community, and to provide a program of improvement and to bring about its realization." In its inaugural year, the Cambridge Foundation started with $3,000 in its accounts. From this humble beginning in 1947, the Foundation has donated over $5,700,000 for projects in the Cambridge area.

Today, just as it was over 70 years ago, the only purpose of the Foundation is to offer a permanent organization and to plan with others, a program of progress for this community and to receive gifts to bring about the realization of these plans.

You can help us achieve our important goal of making your community a better place to live by becoming a member or donating today.

Donate To The Cambridge Foundation

CAMBRIDGE FOUNDATION HISTORICAL TIMETABLE

  • June 9, 1947​

    Organizational Meeting.

    July 17, 1947​

    Articles of Organization filed.

    Bylaws:

    EXECUTIVE COUNCIL

    Section 1. Composition.

    The Executive Council shall consist of Nine (9) Directors, Four (4) of whom shall be the President, Vice-President, Secretary, and Treasurer, respectively; and five (5) who shall be elected from among the Directorship.

    They shall all be elected at the time of the first organizational meeting; two (2) of whom shall be elected each year at the annual meeting of the membership for a term of five (5) years, or until their respective successors are chosen; two (2) for four (4) years and two (2) for three (3) years; two (2) for two (2) years and one (1) for one (1) year.

    Section 2. Powers.

    The Executive Council shall have the care and management of the affairs and business of this Corporation.

    The Executive Council shall have the power, in addition to all others lawfully vested in them:

    (a) To elect or appoint assistants to the general officers, and to employ such servants and agents upon such terms and conditions as said Council may see fit; and to make such expenditures as are necessary for the operation of the Corporation; with power to remove or suspend any of the same, or all or any of the said general officers of the Corporation, and said Council may delegate to any officer of the Corporation by resolution, or to any committee of its members, all or any of the powers recited in this section or any part of such powers.

    (b) To authorize the borrowing of money for Corporate purposes, up to One-Thousand dollars ($1,000.00) without the authorization of the Directors, and for that purpose to execute or cause to be executed in the name of the Corporation, such note or notes or other evidence of indebtedness as may be a requisite and expedient in the premises.

    (c) To carry out and execute policies determined upon by the Foundation Directors.

    (d) To appoint from among the Directors, an Historian, who shall be charged with the duty of setting up, creating, and maintaining a complete record and history of each of the Directors. He shall also be responsible for keeping a record of the Corporation’s membership.

    The following Amendment to the By-Laws of the Cambridge Foundation was unanimously adopted at the annual meeting of the Directors June 20, 1955 with 22 Directors present:

    WHEREAS, it is of vital importance that all officers, members of the Executive Council and members of the Board of Directors attend all regular and special meetings in order to assure the efficient Operation and Management of the Cambridge Foundation.

    BE IT HEREBY RESOLVED, that the following amendment be added to Section one of Article 2 of the By-Laws:

    If an officer or director shall absent himself without sufficient cause, informing the Secretary in writing, from three consecutive Director’s and Officer’s meetings, either special or regular, his office will be considered vacant and an election will be held to fill said office.

    Founding Members:

    1. Arthur E. Melster

    2. Alvin R. Amundon

    3. Earl H. Munson

    4. A. Don Prescott

    5. Jeruel H. Simonsen

    6. Harvey A. Melster

    7. Karl K. Amundson

    8. Arthur M. Iverson

    9. Harlan A. Kampstad

    10. Gordon T. Dingledine

    11. Lawrence C. Porter

    12. Gunnerius E. Bilstad

    13. Herbert R. Birk

    14. William B. Solyom

    15. Willard M. Anderson

    16. Allen T. Lee

    17. Garvin J. Wallace

    18. Einar Evenson

    19. Gordon W. Crump

    20. George Prochnow

    21. Orlando H. Perry

    22. J. Lester Jarlsberg

    23. E. W. Davidson

    24. Geo. L. Wahl

    25. Ernest Behrens

    26. Harry C. May

    27. Oscar H. Severson

    28. Leslie H. Punsel

    29. Ludvig A. Kravick

    30. Earl D. Heberlein

  • July 24, 1964

    Amendment to Articles of Incorporation.

  • June 6, 1985

    Change of Registered Agent.

  • October 11, 1994

    47th Meeting of the Board of Directors of the Cambridge Foundation.

    Barbro McGinn, Donn Trieloff and Roger Borchardt elected as a members of the Board of Directors.

  • October 17, 1995

    48th Annual Meeting of the Board of Directors of the Cambridge Foundation. ​Election of two (2) members to the Executive Board to fill the five (5) year expired terms of Thomas A. Punsel and J. George Procknow. Election of two (2) members to the Board of Directors to replace Edgar H. Strohbusch and David Repyak.

    ​March 17, 1995

    EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE MEETING

    ​Executive Committee meeting called for review of requests for donations for the year 1994-95 due March 31, 1995.

    PRESENT: Michael Rumpf, George Prochnow, Carl Trieloff, Les Jarlsberg, Donald Prescott, Tom Punsel, Donald F. Rumpf.

    ABSENT: Dwaine Sievers and Raymond Wheeler.

    Donald F. Rumpf presented the following:

    1. ​Request from Boy Scout Troop 41 (Scouts and the Lions Club). Request for ​building repairs, canoe equipment, camping equipment. $4,000.00

    Building; $1,000.00 Canoe Equipment and $600.00 Camping Gear.

    2. ​Cable 12 Cambridge Television - for equipment $3,585.00.

    3. ​Cambridge Community School District:

    "Distance Education Consortium" Continuing Education for Community - Studio ​$25,000 to $30,000.

    ​Band Uniforms $16,662.00

    Tennis Courts repair or new Computers for every regular and special - $42,200.00

    ​Play Ground Equipment $15,000 - $20,000.

    4. ​Summer Baseball and game program – larger than 1994.

    5. ​EMS Fire Department for equipment - $22,700.00

    6. ​Foundation Park - numerous needs.

    7. ​Utica Community Assn. - request for help with trees and general landscaping.

    8. ​Ice Skating Rink - Cambridge Community

    9. ​Chamber of Commerce

    10. ​Rockdale Lutheran Church - funds for repairs, etc. at church.

    11. ​Village of Cambridge:

    ​1994 share of expense at Community Building Basketball Court updating and ​fencing.

    Following a full discussion concerning the various items noted above, the following proposals were presented to the committee for recommendations of donations to be made as of March 31, 1995:

    ​Village of Cambridge - 1994 Share Amundson

    ​Building Expense​ $12,950.00

    ​Partial 1995 Share​ $2,550.00

    ​Village of Cambridge Basketball Court Fence & Repairs $3,500.00

    ​Village of Cambridge Cable TV ​$2,000.00

    ​Village of Cambridge West Side Park Program ​$5,000.00

    ​Cambridge Community Schools Summer Programs - Baseball & Other ​Programs ​$4,500.00

    ​Band Uniform Project $5,000.00

    ​Distant Education Program​​ $5,000.00

    ​Utica Community Center​ ​$1,000.00

    ​Boy Scout Troop 41

    ​Building Repair TRUST FUND ​$3,000.00

    ​Cambridge Foundation Ripley Park ​$15,000.00

    ​Cambridge Foundation Upgrade Program ​​ $5,026.42

    ​TOTAL: $64,526.42

    George Prochnow moved and Carl Trieloff seconded that the items set forth above herein be approved and to be presented to the Board of Directors at the meeting thereof on March 30, 1995. Passed by vote of 7 Ayes to 0 Noes.

    March 31, 1995​

    GRANTS for 1994 period as follows:

    ​Village of Cambridge - 1994 Share Amundson Bldg. Exp. $12,950.00 Partial 1995 Share $2,550.00

    ​​Village of Cambridge - Basketball Court Fence & Repairs $3,500.00

    ​​Village of Cambridge - ​Cable TV $2,000.00

    ​​Village of Cambridge - West Side Park Program $5,000.00

    ​Cambridge Community Schools separate checks as follows:

    ​​Summer Programs - Baseball & Other Programs $4,500.00

    ​​Band Uniform Project​ $5,000.00

    ​​Distant Education Program $5,000.00

    ​Separate Checks as follows:

    Utica Community Center $1,000.00

    ​​Boy Scout Troop 41 - ​Building Repair TRUST FUND $3,000.00

    ​​Cambridge Foundation - Ripley Park $15,000.00

    ​​Cambridge Foundation - $5,026.42

    ​Upgrade Program $64,526.42

    April 6, 1995

    The Board of Directors of the Cambridge Foundation voted to make the following grants from the A. R. Amundson Trust:

    ​1. 1994 Share Amundson Building Expense ​​$12,950.00

    ​2. Partial 1995 Share $2,550.00

    ​3. Basketball Court Fence and Repairs $3,500.00

    ​4. Cable T.V.​ $2,000.00

    ​5. West Side Park Program $5,000.00

    6. Summer Programs Baseball and Other Programs ​​$4,500.00

    ​7. Band Uniform Project​ $5,000.00

    ​8. Distant Education Program​ ​$5,000.00

    April 14, 1995

    ​The Board of Directors of the Cambridge Foundation voted to make a grant to Boy Scout Troop No. 41 from the A. R. Amundson Trust in the amount of $3,000.00.

    The funds are to be used for repairs to the building. The funds are placed in trust at the M & I Bank of Cambridge and will be available as work projects proceed on the building.

    We hope that the funds will help you to reach the goals of scouting in our community.