Donna Clark Foundation

The Donna Clark Foundation was set up in 1983 as the Donna Clark Memorial Foundation under the terms of Donna Clark's will. Her grandson, Ryan Clark and Jane Masterfield were named trustees of the foundation with her long-time friend from the Women's Club, Kate Ellsberg, actively administrating the Fund.^AF26

The Foundation made a good contribution to the cost of the Henry Toivo expedition.^{BAR711 AF40}

The Donna Clark Foundation funded the printing of Mike McMahon's book about the Warsaw Fire, with profits going to the historical society.^{BAR25 BAR772}

Part of the fund was dedicated to help out people that lost everything in house fires. The fire department maintained a suitcase of clothes and the Spearfish Lake chapter of the Red Cross administered this part of the fund. When Monica Laughton's house was burned down the Foundation paid for Monica's family and Frenchy LeDroit to stay at the Spearfish Lake Inn^OC24 as well as a grant towards furnishing a new house.^OC26

The Foundation also made college grants to kids with good academic records and an interest in community service. Susan McMahon was told to apply for a college grant for her part in exposing Earl Gingrich. At that time the trustees were Ryan Clark, Randy Clark and Frank Matson.^SU26

Randy Clark encouraged Cody Archer and Janice Archer to apply for college grants based on the servcices they'd already performed for the community. At that time the trustees were Ryan, Randy and Carrie Evachevski.^SK37 The same group of trustees encouraged Jack Erikson and Vixen Hvalchek to apply for college grants for their help with the Birdwatcher Hill Fire.^BHF27

Jim Wooten's effort to clear and eventually rebuild his Aunt Rita's house in Pass Christian after huricane Katrina became a Clark Foudation project after Rachel Clark talked Randy into it.^WL8