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BERTHA — The Bertha American Legion Post 366 recently received a $15,000 grant from the Offutt Family Foundation to boost community outreach, education programs and to serve veterans in need.
The grant is part of the Community Builder program, an initiative designed to support charitable organizations and nonprofits that R.D. Offutt Company (RDO) team members are passionate about and serve the greater good in their communities, according to a news release from RDO.
All RDO team members were invited to apply for this year’s Community Builder grants to support veteran organizations. Jonathan Robbins, 15-year team member at RDO’s Wadena Farm and a Navy Veteran who served four years in Desert Storm (1989-1993), nominated the Legion.
“Post 366 is doing great work by providing outreach to veteran families and creating educational opportunities about the military in our schools,” Robbins said. “It’s an honor to be involved and to support those who served our country in the Bertha and Wadena area.”
Matt Cardinal, 16-year member of the Minnesota National Guard and Post 366 Commander, said the group is very active in doing military honors at veteran funerals and coordinating events at local schools.
“We are shocked that we were chosen and very grateful to the Offutt Family Foundation,” Cardinal said. “This is lifechanging for our Legion Post. We will be able to support past and present military members – giving them the help they need and better educating and supporting kids in our community.”
Altogether, 18 Community Builder grants were awarded across the RDO footprint, which includes RDO Equipment Co. and R.D. Offutt Farms, for a total of $195,000. Through the Community Builder program, the Offutt Family Foundation has awarded more than $1.5 million since 2015.
