Thrivent chapter leaders encourage benefit applications
This county has a Thrivent Chapter, which is a local group of members that plan and carry out charitable, social and educational activities. They are petitioned for
‘contributing funds’ by various fund-raising interests. All Thrivent Financial members belong to a chapter, and they elect leaders.
This story is about the leaders.
Asisting the people of McKenzie County with medical/travel costs is at the heart of this organization’s effort. As the national level of Thrivent delivers
“All the people of McKenzie County have an opportunity to benefit if they are in need,” states Lloyd Alveshere, chapter president. The group is waiting to receive a report on the Joshua Moen Benefit which was held Sunday, Feb. 3 in Watford City, so the paperwork can be appropriately processed. Moen is from Williston, but has strong family ties to the Arnegard/Watford City area.
“This is the best organization to be involved in as it takes in the ‘grass roots of our county,” points out Karen Broderson, Financial recorder for the chapter. Each Lutheran congregation in the county has also been given over $1,300 to do an event that will benefit that congregation or its building somehow.
Each Lutheran congregation in the county has three congregational representatives who plan their own church’s fund-raiser event to be done within the year. For example, Wilmington Lutheran Church has received$1,300.
Working with the congregations’ coordinators is Stacy Arnegard.
“Helping people in our community regardless of income, race or age is what all people need to know about this Thrivent chapter organization,” says Arnegard, as she encourages the church coordinators to activate the moneys that are set up for their use.
Joyce Hovland, one of those church congregation coordinators from First Lutheran of Watford City says she attends the monthly meeting in order…”to know which programs are available.”
Keeping notes for the group is Records Director Nyla Dahl, who points out that all requests for contributing funds toward benefits are treated equally.
Plans are in the process for the organization to assist with funding for a benefit to be held Sunday, Feb. 10 in order to help Gary Thorson of Watford City as he is suffering from Cancer and confronting high medical costs. His friends chose the date, time and location for the fund-raiser and organized it. They accessed the appropriate forms at Watford City Lutheran Parish in the C.E. Buiding (Christian Education Building) from Karen, who keeps the information packets with application and reporting forms in her office manager desk. She can be reached at 444-3244 and the chapter leaders invite more people to organize fund-raisers for their neighbors and contact them to see if they can have some contributing funds. Once their forms are filled out, the work is done over the Internet and reporting/funding is done with dispatch.
After four years, a total of about 20 people have been helped out financially, at the rate of about five people per year, thanks to the friends and relatives who team up with Thrivent Financial for Lutherans McKenzie County Chapter.
Anyone willing to throw a fund-raiser for family or friends should apply for a share of these contributing funds. Just as everyone needs friends, just about everyone needs money to help with the costs of medical treatment and this Thrivent Chapter has a sum of money to encourage those who ambitiously organize of fund-raiser to help a friend.