34 NEBRASKA CATTLEMAN September 2024 PEERS FARMER’S LEGACY HELPS NORTHEAST NEBRASKA THRIVE JANA JENSEN | NCF FUNDRAISING COORDINATOR Rudy Elis was seldom seen in anything but his overalls and a flannel shirt, but he was a shrewd investor. He was not into giving handouts; he was interested in giving ambitious people a hand up. An endowed bequest of $2.3 million established by the bachelor farmer in 2008 has grown to $5,409,020 – more than twice the amount of the original gift. Endowment earnings of more than $1.8 million have been used to support entrepreneurship, leadership and people attraction in Holt County and the Norfolk area. Since 2010, the Rudolph Elis Donor-Advised Fund has invested in numerous programs to assess and plan for economic and community development in Norfolk. The Elis endowment grants helped kickstart Norfolk High School’s Career Academies, a program that prepares students for futures in industries they care about. Students can choose to enroll in several courses that allow them to test and develop their interest in a wide range of career paths, including plant and animal agriculture; construction; drafting; early childhood development; culinary arts; health sciences; automotive; metals; and business and technology, which includes finance, marketing, business administration and information technology. The fund has also invested in The Zone, a Norfolk afterschool program that convenes youth eager to make an impact in the community and their own lives. The Zone offers a variety of clubs and programs, including a lawnmowing service that hands responsibilities over to students. The program gives students a hands-on opportunity to learn about accounting, scheduling and everything involved in operating a small business. Grants made to organizations such as Holt County Economic Development, a Nebraska Cattlemen Foundation (NCF) affiliated fund, are a perfect match for Elis’ charitable intentions. The Fund has been instrumental in these key economic development achievements: CONTINUED ON PAGE 38 Elis’ story is a heartwarming one about giving back to the community that you live, work and play in. If you love the place you call home, this is your opportunity to enrich its future. Would you consider leaving 5 percent of your assets to your community? Your gift will help ensure your family’s legacy and help your hometown thrive. Maybe your family’s legacy is more about supporting the industry that has allowed your family to thrive. NCF is focused on the Nebraska beef industry and providing funding for beef research, education of future beef leaders, beef promotion, providing infrastructure updates to Nebraska’s educational institutions and historical preservation of beef industry-related memorabilia. Would you consider a gift to NCF to honor your family’s legacy in the beef industry? To learn more on how to leave a legacy, visit Fivetothrivene.org for more information on the transfer of wealth and the many ways to give. Or reach out to me directly at (308) 458-9685 or janajensen@nebcommfound.org.
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