Community Foundation for Delta County Board Chair Charles Becker, along with board members Todd Maki, Brian Pahnke and Eric Willour, present a $55,997.82 check to Bay de Noc Community College President Dr. Nerita Hughes. (Contributed photo)

ESCANABA — The Community Foundation for Delta County has awarded Bay de Noc Community College almost $56,000 from the Dr. Mary L. Cretens Endowment Fund.

“It’s with a great deal of pleasure that the community foundation makes Dr. Mary L. Cretens annual gift of financial support to the Bay de Noc Community College,” foundation board Chair Charles Becker said. “Dr. Cretens’ wish was to support students who wanted to continue their education beyond high school, either in college or the building trades field, and her substantial gift will do exactly what she wanted. She was a member and officer of the community foundation prior to her passing and entrusted her charitable giving to the Community Foundation for Delta County because she knew her wishes, in her giving, would be honored.”

Bay de Noc Community College President Dr. Nerita Hughes thanked the Community Foundation for Delta County for all their hard work and in following Cretens’ philanthropic wishes.

“Dr. Cretens’ annual financial support donation has, and will continue to have, a profound impact on many students with providing financial support,” Hughes said. “Her generosity extends with funds for science textbooks or other suitable materials for our library as well.”

The Community Foundation for Delta County, an affiliate of the Community Foundation of the Upper Peninsula, is a 501 (c)(3) organization certified by National Standards.

To find out how to start a fund for now and into the future, contact the community foundation by calling 906-786-6654, sending an email to office@cfup.org or stopping in at 2420 First Ave. S. in Escanaba.