Please join us as we say THANK YOU to Mark Mannebach for his time and service on the DeKalb County Community Foundation Board of Directors. Mark served on the Community Foundation Board from 2016-2018 as a representative for DeKalb. During his years of service, he served on the Foundation’s Community Grants, Kindergarten Readiness, and Strategic Planning committees.

One of Mark’s favorite committees to serve on was Community Grants. This committee embodies stewardship as they take on the responsibility of reviewing and allocating spring and fall Community Needs Grants. On a regular basis, the amount of grant requests outweigh the available funding, thus adding to the amount of preparation and discussion needed from members. “I thoroughly enjoyed being a part of this committee and I think everyone involved greatly values the grant process,” said Mark. “The process really drives home the amount of organizations doing great work for so many throughout the county. Seeing how grateful people are when you are able to deliver a grant check is very gratifying.”

As a retired Sycamore middle school teacher of 33 years, Mark was a key part in shaping the beginning of the Kindergarten Readiness initiative. The early stages of this initiative consisted of research, information gathering, exploring partnerships, and defining the role the Community Foundation would play.

When asked about a few of his favorite takeaways, Mark had this to say, “I was very impressed with the many entities that were willing to get involved with an initiative like Kindergarten Readiness. It was rewarding to be a part of this committee as we dove deep into the research and planning for Kindergarten Readiness in DeKalb County.”

In a final question, we asked Mark to share any advice he might have for new and future Board members. Mark responded by saying, “The staff and fellow board members are absolutely first class people to get to know and work with. Value those relationships and build from the experience you receive as a Board member of the Foundation!”

Thank you Mark Mannebach for giving of your time, talent, and treasure to DeKalb County. Your thoughtful discussion, commitment to youth, and willingness to serve our community is greatly appreciated. You are a true philanthropist and for that, we are grateful!