Dawn Clouse, President, Founder
Dawn is a member of the Board of Directors. She serves as the President. Her qualifications include graduating with a BS degree in business administration from Bellevue University, Bellevue, NE, and her passion for helping people. Her duties are spelled out in our bylaws and include managing the day-to-day business of the organization, attending meetings of our board of directors, and voting on board decisions. Dawn receives no compensation of any kind and performs her duties on an “as needed” basis. Dawn spends approximately 20-25 hours a week working for the Home to Home Project and 10-15 hours a week working for the Hope for Our City program.
Marilyn Plumley, Secretary
Marilyn is currently serving as vice president on the Board of Directors. She is a chaplain for several businesses in the community. She has also served as a children’s pastor, administrative secretary, women’s ministry director, and in other areas in the church. She enjoys working with people and finding new ways to bless them. She participates in the food distribution, Hope for Our City, each week. She receives no compensation of any kind and performs her duties on an “as needed” basis.
Kay Johnson, Board Member
Kay has served as a volunteer for two years as a co-leader for the Hope for Our City food program, and she also serves with the food outreach distribution portion of this same program. She receives no compensation of any kind and performs her duties on an “as needed” basis. She spends approximately 5 – 6 hours a week working for the Hope for Our City food program.
Diane Minke, Board Member
Diane was born in and has lived her entire life in Willmar. She retired from working at Willmar High School after 13 years as the attendance secretary. She is the mother of two boys and for many years did the book work for her husband’s business.
She is often referred to as a “professional volunteer” by her friends. Her list of volunteer activities includes; food distribution, mentoring an autistic young girl for eight years, mentoring of mothers of preschoolers, leading The Amazing Collection Bible study, sewing quilts for foster children, volunteering at a hospital while spending the winter in Arizona, participating in her church in whatever capacity that is needed, and other charitable activities too numerous to mention. She is always ready with a listening ear and enjoys supporting her friends.
Karla K. Rick, Board Member
Karla is a member of the Board of Directors, and also directs the Hope for Our City – Litchfield food distribution. Her qualifications include a BS degree in Education from St. Cloud State University and a MA in Educational Leadership from St. Mary’s University. She has been involved with Community Basics since 2014. Karla receives no compensation for her duties and completes them on an “as needed” basis. She spends approximately 5-6 hours per week working with the Hope for Our City-Litchfield program.
Mike Botzek, Board Member
Mike was born and raised in St. Cloud, MN, into a family that owned a small grocery store where he learned all facets of that business including meat cutting. He graduated in 1974 from St. Cloud State University with a B.S Degree in Industrial Arts Education and taught high school in the Minneapolis area for three years. Leaving teaching he began working for Coborn’s Inc. for three years as an assistant manager of Coborn’s Grocery in Willmar, MN, then worked in the food sales industry for Kraft Foods, Inc, until his retirement.
Mike’s experience in Industrial Arts has provided him with the skills needed to build many pieces of furniture for his home as well as remodel parts of his home.
He is an active member of Redeemer Lutheran Church and have served over many years as a church Elder, Trustee liaison, and also as Vice Chairman of the congregation. Mike joined the Homeless Solutions task force 5 years ago and helped establish Safe Harbor, a part of United Community Action Partnership providing short term housing and rehabilitation for the homeless in the Willmar community.
January 2016, he had the privilege of joining Community Basics Inc.’s Home to Home Project as a “handyman” fixing and servicing donated items to be given out.
Ron Haraldson, Treasurer
Ron was born and raised in Sioux Falls, SD. He graduated from Augustana in 1969 with a BA in chemistry and from the University of South Dakota in 1973 with a Masters in chemistry. Ron taught chemistry at several schools including the last at Ridgewater College.
Ron is an active member of Living Hope Evangelical Free church and has served as an elder, treasurer, in the nursery, in choir, and meals for the Hope for Recovery program. He has participated in 5 mission trips to Guatemala. Ron also delivers Meals on Wheels.
In 2011 Ron started to volunteer at Community Basics, both at Home to Home repairing and assembling donated items and at Hope for Our City picking up donated food.