FREMONT, Neb. (June 18, 2015) – Lutheran Family Services of Nebraska raised over $123,000 during its fourth annual Fremont Family Friends event held on June 9 at the Fremont Golf Club.
The event, which benefits the Rupert Dunklau Center for Healthy Families®, brought together nearly 300 people who contributed through ticket purchases, raffles, live auction, cash donations and sponsorships.
Proceeds from the annual fundraiser provide essential support for the services provided at the Center located on Military Avenue. The event chairs were Cathy and Brad Holtorf and Melissa and Dr. Mark Johannsen. Honorary chairs were Myrna and Darrell Puls.
The evening featured the story of a young Fremont family with six children supported by the Center through parenting classes and support services. The story was told through a video produced by the Nebraska Children and Families Foundation for Fremont’s Community Response Initiative, led by the Fremont Area United Way. At the conclusion of the video, the audience honored the couple with a standing ovation.
Brad Holtorf, member of the LFS Board of Directors, shared his gratitude for the outpouring of support, “We are very grateful for the sponsors and individuals who attended and continue to provide financial support to the Center. It’s very rewarding for the staff and board members to witness the support the Center receives from its own community. Their efforts make it possible for LFS to provide much needed programs and services to the Fremont area.”
Lutheran Family Services of Nebraska opened the Building Families Boutique (now the Rupert Dunklau Center for Healthy Families) in 2007 – on the same Fremont site where LFS founded an orphanage 123 years ago. The Center focuses on early intervention, healthy parenting education, and supports at-risk families with children under age five and expectant mothers. Since its opening, the Center has served 1,116 Fremont-area families with 1,815 children. The garden level of the building houses LFS’ adult behavioral health services.
Since its inception, the Center has continued to grow and provide more services to the Fremont community. Ruth Henrichs, Presidents and CEO of Lutheran Family Services of Nebraska, stated, “We started here, we’re staying here and we’re growing here.”
For media inquiry contact Ruth Henneman, Vice President of Development, at (402) 978-5654 and rhenneman@lfsneb.org or Fa’iz Rab, Director of Public Relations, at (402) 978-5646 and frab@lfsneb.org.
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