About Us

Why it is important to support SVYF:

Your donations and continued support of the Smith Valley Youth Foundation go straight to our youth! Because SVYF provides operating costs to youth sports, the costs are kept to a minimum. Thus, our youth are able to participate in activities that they may not have been able to afford on their own.

This organization provides/supports:

Scholarships to our graduating seniors of Smith Valley School
FFA and Grange
Individual requests for youth camps and trips
Field Trip expenses

With your continued support, the Smith Valley Youth Foundation is helping to create well-rounded youth ready to go out and make a difference in our world!

Board Members

Chair: Luetta Mann

Vice-Chair: Dee Dee Kersch

Secretary:

Treasurer: Lisa Maslach

Scholarship Committee Chair: Barb Farber-Brooks

Board Members at Large: Leslie McGraw, Ally Sceirine,

Luisa Covian, Andrea Leinassar, Tonya Feuerhelm

SVYF: A Tale of Two Dads

The Smith Valley Youth Foundation (a 501(c)3 - not for profit organization) was formed in 2006 by a handful of families with young children. As our young children began to play organized sports, we soon realized that they would be fundraising every time a new sport season started. We also realized that our neighbors and relatives were growing tired of seeing our faces each time a new fundraiser began!

As two of the “dads,” Mike DeBusk and Emery Thran, were working hard on finishing the snack shack at Rotary Field at Dressler Park, an idea was formed. What if we created one organization that would have one fundraising dinner a year to support all the youth activities in our valley? Kind of like a “Boosters” for youth! One of the moms, a teacher, suggested that we not only support youth sports, but also education. After all, our Smith Valley School does not have a PTA or a PTO and the Youth Foundation could help fill this void at our school as well. They began to share their idea with other young families in the valley.

It was then, Emery’s good friend, retired Smith Valley teacher and mentor, Mr. John Weaver heard of the idea and loved it. Unfortunately, he had been diagnosed with cancer and was not going to make it. Upon his death, he graciously had all monetary donations be made to the newly forming Smith Valley Youth Foundation. It was these initial funds that funded the first annual BBQ Dinner at Smith Valley Community Hall in November, 2006.

The organization was officially up and running! A board was formed with representatives from each of the youth sports organizations in the valley; SV Youth Baseball, SV Wrestling, SV Rodeo and SV Soccer, as well as a representative for Education (SV School).

The Smith Valley Youth Foundation began actively supporting the youth of our valley in all endeavors. All sports entities and the school were asked to create a budget and present their annual request for their upcoming year so SVYF could plan for the needed operating expenses. Individual children and their families were also included through the grant request process. All youth were allowed to present their grant request to the board for any amount in support of a variety of their activities in academics and sports.

Throughout the years, the board members may have changed, but the mission has stayed the same, “To support and enhance educational, social and recreational programs that support the health and knowledge of the youth in the Smith Valley community.”