I. ANNUAL 100 ASSOCIATES ENDOWMENT FUND GRANTS
Each year, we will share the interest income from our 100 Associates Endowment Fund, via a grant, to help finance educational events and services that are consistent with our mission. The French-American Heritage Foundation’s mission is to foster a greater understanding of the rich history and heritage of French-speaking people who helped form what is now Minnesota. An announcement of the annual grant opportunity will be posted on our website’s Home page.
2024–THIRD ANNUAL 100 ASSOCIATES ENDOWMENT FUND GRANT AWARD. The Grants Committee has recommended to the Foundation board that the available funds for 2024 be allocated to the Young Ambassadors project. This is an event that helps to introduce and involve younger and new members in the activities of the French-American Heritage Foundation. Any unused funds from this project may be directed to another viable candidate.
2023–SECOND ANNUAL 100 ASSOCIATES ENDOWMENT FUND GRANT AWARD. Our second grant, in the amount of $1,000, was awarded in May 2023, to the Dakota County Historical Society, for the development of 2023’s Fête de la Saint-Jean-Baptiste that took place at the Sibley Historic Site in Mendota, MN, on Saturday, June 24. This event was created by the Dakota County Historical Society in partnership with the Québec Government office in Chicago / Délégation du Québec à Chicago, Alliance Française Mpls / St Paul, and the French-American Heritage Foundation.
2022–FIRST ANNUAL 100 ASSOCIATES ENDOWMENT FUND GRANT AWARD. Our first grant, in the amount of $900, was awarded in November 2022, to Danielle Enblom, for the purpose of writing a book about the history of her Tremblay/Nadon ancestors, which will highlights and documents connections between Quebec, Manitoba, Minnesota, and the Métis nation, and for the preparation of a live presentation into which she may incorporate relevant dance and music aspects. Danielle is a dancer, fiddler, and ethnochoreologist. (Ethnochoreology is the study of dance, movement, and culture).
II. FRENCH-AMERICAN HERITAGE FOUNDATION, CONCORDIA LANGUAGE VILLAGES — LES VOYAGEURS SCHOLARSHIP
The French-American Heritage Foundation is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization whose mission statement is to promote and cultivate French-language cultures through education and public programing.
As of 2018, the Board of Directors of the French-American Heritage Foundation has voted to provide one $500 scholarship each year to allow a student in need to attend Les Voyageurs, a French program, at Concordia Language Villages. In 2024, the board voted to increase its scholarship contribution to $625, due to rising costs of programs at CLV.
Current Scholarship Amount: $625 per annum.
Funding Date: April 1st of each year. A few weeks prior to the April funding date, the French-American Heritage Foundation will make a check payable to Concordia Language Villages and send it to: Concordia Language Villages, Attention: Finance Department, 901 8th Street South, Moorhead, MN 56562. The memo line on the check must indicate: Les Voyageurs Scholarship.
Concordia Language Villages is the premier language and cultural immersion program in North America, offering sessions for educators, youth, families, and adults, and professional development for teachers.
Since its beginning in 1961, Concordia Language Villages has grown to 15 languages whose mission is to inspire courageous global citizens. Programs are taught through a language and cultural immersion philosophy, which allows for experience-based learning. Concordia Language Villages annually serves over 10,700 youth and adults, from every state of the United States, as well as Canada and 31 other countries.
Concordia Language Villages is a program of Concordia College, Moorhead, Minnesota, a private four-year liberal arts college of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America.
Click here for Concordia Language Villages rates and dates: https://www.concordialanguagevillages.org/dates-rates
Scholarship application and session registration: https://www.concordialanguagevillages.org/summer-youth-camps/scholarships
For questions regarding scholarship awarding or registration, contact: Concordia Language Villages, Registration Department, 218-299-3699 or clvregistration@cord.edu.
The selection criteria for those awarded scholarships will be determined by Concordia Language Villages with the understanding that those recipients who are awarded our scholarship will be reminded to write a letter to the French-American Heritage Foundation Board describing their experience at the French language camp.
III. FRENCH HERITAGE EDUCATION CLASSES
Minnesota History with a French Accent Classes — Future Classes to be Determined
Following are the basic components of our four-week course. Week One: Minnesota’s Early French Explorers, Pioneers, Metis, and Fur Traders; Week Two: Minnesota’s Early Settlers; Week Three: Ethnic Tensions Facing French in Minnesota; and, Week Four: The Richness of Our French-American Heritage in Minnesota.
Classes have been conducted by instructors: Jerry Foley, Mark Labine, Pierre Girard, and Dick Bernard.
Previously Offered Classes / Presentations:
2023 Minnesota History with a French Accent Presentation
October 27: Nokomis Library, 5100 S 34th Ave, Minneapolis, MN 55417. Time: 1:00 p.m. to 2:30 p.m. Minnesota’s state motto, L’Étoile du Nord, a French expression meaning “The Star of the North,” reminds us that the French left an indelible mark on our society and culture. Pierre Girard, French-American Heritage Foundation board member, recounted the French history and heritage of Minnesota.
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2017 Minnesota History with a French Accent Classes
September 5, October 17, November 7 and December 5: Minnesota with a French Accent Classes. St. Michael/Albertville Senior Center, (Crow River Senior Center), 11800 Town Center Drive NE, Suite 200, St. Michael, 55376. Time: Tuesday mornings from 10 a.m. to Noon. To register contact Heidi Dehmer at 763-497-6550. Website is www.stma.ce.eleyo.com.
September 20 and 27 and October 4 and 11: September 20th to October 11th, Minnesota with a French Accent Classes: Handke Center, 1170 Main Street, Elk River, MN 55330, Room 107, Door 5. Time: Wednesday evenings from 6:30 p.m. to 8:30 p.m. To register contact Jay Grammond at 763-241-3520. Website is communityed@728.Org. Class fee $30. Elk River. Wednesday evenings.
October 3, 10, 17 and 24: Minnesota with a French Accent Classes. Eagan Blackhawk Middle School, 15180 Canada Ave, Rosemount, MN 55068: Time: Tuesday evenings from 6:00 p.m. to 8:00 p.m. Contact person: Matt McCabe. Class fee: $45. To register contact Matt McCabe, Adult Services Coordinator at 651-423-7925. Website www.District196.org/ce.
November 6, 13, 20 and 27: Minnesota with a French Accent Classes. Osseo Middle School, 10223 93rd Ave North, Maple Grove, MN. Time: Monday evenings from 6:30 p.m. to 8:00 p.m. To register contact Rob Sturdy at 763-391-7119. Website is http://district279.org/community-education. Class fee $30.
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2016 Minnesota History with a French Accent
March 1, 8, 15 and 22: Nokomis Library at 5100 34th Ave South, Minneapolis, MN 55417. Contact persons to register for classes are Patricia Hastreiter at Patty.Hastreiter@mpls.k12.mn.us or Amy McNally, Senior Librarian, amcnally@hclib.org.
October 3 to 24: Maple Grove “Minnesota with French Accent” classes at the Maplewood Community Center. Four classes from 10 a.m. to Noon. Please contact Linda Moser (katialine@yahoo.com) and Judy Lambert (SPPR1003@comcast.net)
2015 Minnesota History with a French Accent
Classes will be held April 13th to May 4th and again on Tuesday evenings from November 3rd to November 24th, 2015 from 7:00 p.m. to 8:30 p.m. at Lake Harriet School, 4912 Vincent Ave South, Minneapolis.
Classes will be held on June 5, 12, 19 and 24 from 10:30 a.m. to Noon at the Washburn Library in Minneapolis, 5244 Lyndale Ave South, Minneapolis, Minnesota.
To register for these classes, please contact the following:
Lake Harriet School Class in April: Gary Wineman, Community School Coordinator email: gwineman@mpls.k12.mn.us, Lake Harriet Adult Enrichment Programs, Minneapolis Community Education |Minneapolis Public Schools p: 612.668.3330 | f: 612.668.3320
Washburn Library Class in June: Patricia Hastreiter, Coordinator, email: Patty.Hastreiter@mpls.k12.mn.us Minneapolis Community Education Enrichment Program, The Minneapolis program website is www.mplscommunityed.com. Patricia’s phone number is 612-668-5095.
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IV. “One of the goals of the French-American Heritage Foundation is to co-host a Twin City celebration of French cultures that exist in our Metro Area. This would be a welcomed addition to the other ethnic festivals we experience each year.”
