MAPS accepts January and February donations

The following donations were approved and/or accepted at the Jan. 28, 2026, Merrill Area Public Schools (MAPS) Board of Education meeting:
A donation of funds from Laura Lussier-Lee and Eric Lee valued at $2,500 for helping students with negative lunch account balances; a donation from the Bierman Family Foundation in the amount of $66,880.28 for the Merrill High School (MHS) Fieldhouse audio system; a check donation from Timothy & Sue Finnegan valued at $100 to help Pine River School for Young Learners (PRSYL) students in memory of Joan Krohn; a check from Casa Amigos valued at $500 to help pay negative lunch account balances for families at Kate Goodrich Elementary School (Kate Goodrich); cash from Clark’s All Aboard valued at $445 for helping MAPS students with negative lunch account balances; a check from Merrill Ace Hardware valued at $1,500 to help with the MHS Nest; funds from David & Kathie Anderson valued at $200 for paying off negative lunch account balances of Washington Elementary School (Washington) students; a monetary gift from the Merrill Community Foundation valued at $2,000 for the Prairie River Middle School (PRMS) Picture This 2.0 program; two card payments from Thrivent Financial valued at $250 each ($500 total) for negative lunch account balances at PRMS; a check from the Parrett Family valued at $500 for providing low-income students with needed items at the Washington Nest; a monetary gift from Michael & Angie Zocher valued at $450 for Kate Goodrich Secret Santa; money from Bull Falls Dental Team valued at $100 for the MHS Nest; winter jackets and snow pants from an anonymous donor valued at $400 for keeping students warm at PRSYL; children’s coats, hats, and mittens from Hillside Church Merrill Encounter valued at approximately $100 for PRSYL and Kate Goodrich students to use as needed; a monetary donation from Karen Akey valued at $30 for PRSYL in memory of Joan Krohn; a monetary gift from Ann Verdoorn valued at $50 for purchasing books for students at PRSYL in memory of Joan Krohn; money from Fraternal Order of Eagles Aerie 584 valued at $250 for the MHS Bluejay Nest; a check from Auntie Ray’s Coffee House valued at $500 for covering negative lunch accounts at MAPS; a monetary gift from Rosanne Schleif valued at $500 for negative lunch account balances at MAPS; funds from Kwik Trip valued at $40 for supplying buns for Washington’s Lighted Schoolhouse event; 40 pounds of hot dogs from Geiss Meat Service valued at $250 for food for Washington’s Lighted Schoolhouse event; a check from Park City Credit Union valued at $35 for MAPS from card sales proceeds; and children’s clothing from Vanessa Houghton valued at approximately $500 for student use at Kate Goodrich.
In addition, the following donations were accepted for the MHS Holiday Happiness program: a check from an anonymous donor valued at $200; money from Lincoln County Respite Committee valued at $500; money from Katy Holz valued at $100; and money from Beta Sigma Phi valued at $196.
And, the following donations were accepted for reviving and supporting Family & Consumer Science (Home Ec) at PRMS: cash from Merrill Community Foundation valued at $2,000; a stove/range from Cody & Erin Wedde Family valued at $250; and a new refrigerator, commercial stand mixer, microwave, and mixer from Park City Credit Union valued at $1,500.

The following donations were approved and/or accepted at the Feb. 18, 2026, Merrill Area Public Schools (MAPS) Board of Education meeting:
A donation from the Faye S. Braatz Trust in the amount of $30,000 for the MHS Band Endowment Fund; clothing, snacks, personal hygiene products, and school supplies from Angela and Spencer Smith valued at $100 for the PRMS Nest; knitted scarves and hats from Shellie Hahn valued at $150 for students in need at PRSYL and Kate Goodrich; a monetary gift from an anonymous donor valued at $100 for the MAPS Nests ($25 to each school); cash from Roger and Lori Furman valued at $100 for the Washington Nest; and the following donations from the O’Tannenbaum Tour: $300 for the PRMS Nest; $500 for the MHS Nest; and $300 for the MHS Holiday Happiness Program.