Westby Norse Fund launches new opportunity focused on female athletes

Westby, Wis. – The Westby Norse Fund is thrilled to announce a new opportunity to involve the community in furthering the growth of the Norse Fund. In 2023, the Norse Fund provided 87 scholarships totaling $109,935.00 to Westby Area High School graduates. Our latest initiative seeks to engage donors and the community in expanding the Norse Fund and named endowment funds.

The Norse Fund has recently invested in new infrastructure designed for collecting scholarship funds for a memorial scholarship, an honorary scholarship, or a Class of Westby Area High School scholarship. This infrastructure facilitates specific online campaigns monetary goals and allows donors to create and promote scholarships through peer-to-peer fundraising.

“This is an exciting opportunity to enable those interested in establishing endowment funds to leverage online giving and social media to achieve their goals,” said Norse Fund Board President Karl Stoker.

Our inaugural campaign is the Westby Norse Fund Title 9 Scholarship. This scholarship has been established to empower the continued advancement of the young women of WAHS. It was initially conceived in memory of Ann Kurth but now serves as a tribute to the countless others who supported her vision of a level playing field.

In 1971 the Westby High School gymnastic team won Wisconsin’s first-ever state championship! Despite this historic accomplishment, its members were unable to become part of the “W” Club, an honor exclusively reserved for male athletes earning letters since the 1950s.

With an unwavering commitment to providing equal opportunities for girls, Ann worked diligently and tirelessly to expand women’s athletics at Westby High School. With the collegial and steadfast support of Athletic Director Marc Nelson, they worked with school administration and the board of education to provide Westby High School girls the opportunity to take the court, compete on the fields, and track events. 

In keeping with their legacy and the path they paved for us, we are taking this small step towards a more equitable field. We hope this scholarship will empower others to carry the torch of equality through their future, more substantial actions.

For more information on creating a campaign to honor a loved one or donating to the Westby Norse Fund or the Westby Norse Fund Title 9 Scholarship, please visit our website at www.NorseFund.org.