Now that I have your attention, let’s talk about philanthropy and community involvement.
The name “Lonnstrom” is loosely translated as a maple tree by a stream. The maple symbolizes abundance and generosity. At my mother’s funeral, the pastor read The Giving Tree by Shel Silverstein. The book is about generosity and self-sacrifice. These are things I'd like to be synonymous with the name Lonnstrom. For decades, the Lonnstrom family has anonymously and publicly contributed to community in many ways such as volunteer work, scholarships, financial contributions and in-kind donations.
About our family
My grandfather was extremely active in the New Salem Fire Department, and helped start the local Punkintown Fair which is a popular fundraising event. My father was a dentist (recently deceased). He ran his own successful dentistry practice and many times, provided pro-bono dentistry services to those who could not afford it. My mother was quite debilitated from the disease Lupus until her death when I was 20 years old. When she was in remission, she spent most of her time volunteering. My Uncle has dedicated most of his life to helping those achieve educational success. I have personally dedicated over half my career working for various non-profit organizations that served a variety of populations, and have also done quite a bit of volunteer work and contributing financial when able.
If you are reading this, it is my hope you consider ways that you may be able to help those in need or can assist with bettering a community. If you are able to volunteer, you can help someone in need. If you are able to make a monetary donation, check out out Charity Navigator (they help find nonprofits that align with your passions and values).
Lonnstroms' have alway tried to make a difference, and here's a partial list of how and who Lonnstroms' have helped:
Establishing scholarships for College bound students of Voorheesville high school
Grants for underserved students attending Siena College
Planned giving to higher educational institutions
Big Brother Big Sisters
Community Hospice
Lupus Foundation
American Cancer Society
Leukemia & Lymphoma Society
Hope House Foundation
American Heart Association
American Red Cross
Cystic Fibrosis Foundation
Autism Speaks
Heifer International
New Scotland Food Pantry
Action Against Hunger
New Salem Fire Department
National Council on Family Violence
Doctors Without Borders
Little Brook Farms
Muscular Dystrophy Association
New Scotland for Sound Economic Development (NS4SED), stopping box box in New Scotland
New Scotland Historical Society
Girl Scouts of America
Boy Scouts of America
Special Olympics
Habitat For Humanity
Alzheimer's Association
ALS Association
The Doane Stuart School
WAMC and WMHT
United Women's Council