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Esky building dedicated to Dr. Mary L. Cretens

Deborah Prescott | Daily Press Connie Mayville, Diana Clark, Charlie Becker, Cindy Aird Carter, Ken Gartland, Will Carne Sr., Cheryl Andzejewski, and Amy Skorupski stand in front of the Community Foundation for Delta County’s building during a dedication ceremony Thursday. The building was named the Dr. Mary L. Cretens Community Legacy Building in honor of Cretens. Cretens helped jump-start the foundation with an endowment of $6.5 million.

ESCANABA — The Community Foundation for Delta County (CFFDC) dedicated its building in a ceremony Thursday by naming it the Dr. Mary L. Cretens Community Legacy Building. The Dr. Mary L. Cretens Community Legacy Building is located at 2420 1st Ave. S., Escanaba.

In addition, the foundation introduced Cheryl Andzejewski as its new executive director, following the retirement of previous executive director, Gary LaPlant. Andzejewski was chosen by the boards of both CFFDC and the Community Foundation of the Upper Peninsula and will be the CEO of the Community Foundation of the Upper Peninsula.

“Before we followed U.P. Health Systems into this building in 2012, we were in the basement of Doctor’s Park,” said Andzejewski. “On May 22, we purchased the building. We can’t thank U.P. Health Systems enough for their generosity in supplying us a home for over 20 years.”

The CFFDC board decided to purchase the building they were sharing with U.P. Health Systems and make it a permanent home when U.P. Health Systems decided to sell it.

The CFFDC is celebrating 30 years of operation this year. When it started in 1989, the foundation had little money and since has grown into a multi-million dollar foundation. The reason for the jump-start to the foundation was an endowment from Cretens in the amount of $6.5 million.

“She was financially savvy, frugal, with money,” said Andzejewski. “I remember going to Wendy’s for lunch with Dr. Mary and she ordered off … the equivalent of the dollar menu at McDonald’s, and she wasn’t even paying for that meal. We were taking her to lunch.”

Cretens was one of the board of trustees members and aware of what the CFFDC was all about. According to Andzejewski, Cretens had no children and saved a large amount of money through the years.

“She let our foundation know she was planning on leaving her legacy with us, but did not let us know any dollar amount,” Andzejewski said.

When Cretens died, she left the CFFDC with funding, but also specific directions on how she wanted the money paid forward.

“A fund agreement was set up, and upon her passing in 2005, we were given $6.5 million from her estate,” said Andzejewski.

With the help of Cretens’ boost of funding, the CFFDC has granted approximately $300,000 to $400,000 per year in the area. The total so far is just under $5 million. The CFFDC has provided grants to others without touching the original endowment portion from Cretens.

“We will forever be grateful to Dr. Mary for her foresight to use her money for good, the way she wanted it to be given, for many years to come,” said Andzejewski. “Endowments are forever, which is why you may hear our community foundation tag line of — For good. For ever.”

In attendance at the dedication were Community Foundation for Delta County board members and staff, Escanaba Public Safety Director, Delta County Chamber Director and County Commissioner, as well as representatives from Community Action, First Bank, U.P. State Bank, the Delta County Prosecutor’s office, Intermediate School District, and the College Access Network.

For more information contact the foundation’s office at 906-786-6654, email to office@cfup.org, or go to their website at www.cffdc.org.

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