Heather Cunningham Bridgens Fund
Continuing To Do what's Best for the KidsContinue Heather’s legacy by supporting Cottage Grove students/kids by giving them all access to sports activities. The goal of HCB is to provide the funds to pay for every child’s sports activities fees.
Getting Involved
How The HCB Fund Works
The HCB Endowment Fund is set up with the Cottage Grove Community Foundation and the Oregon Community Foundation. The money raised will be managed by OCF for the long term to maximize the impact of your gift. The fund will continue to grow over time, preserving and maximizing the HCB Endowment Fund for years to come.
South Lane School District
The HCB Endowment Fund will work directly with South Lane School District and other local youth organizations to disperse the funds and ensure they are going directly to participation fees.
Students
The students are the beneficiaries of HCB fund. They get to participate in sports activities supported by the fund. They get to grow their character and learn new skills to benefit the community.
Cottage Grove Community Foundation & Oregon Community Foundation
The ultimate goal is to raise enough money to make playing sports free for all students going to school in Cottage Grove. While we anticipate this may take some time to achieve we will start working now with the school district to figure out how to reduce participation fees for middle school and high school students.
- $104,157 Raised- Thank you for helping us Exceed our Goal 100%
Our goal is to raise 125K in 2023 for the Kids
How You Can Be Involved?
Donate if you are able and willing. No donation is too small!
Help spread the word about the mission of the HCB Endowment Fund.
Help write thank you cards to donors.
Share a testimonial about Heather and her impact on you or someone you know.
Share a testimonial on how sports and extracurricular sports impacted you.
We invite you to join us in sharing your memories of Heather by sending us your photos and videos. Whether they’re from school, community events, or just hanging out with friends and family, we want to see them all! By sharing your memories, we can keep Heather’s spirit alive and inspire others to make a difference in their communities.
What are the benefits of Sports Activities for Children?
According to a study released by the National Federation of State High School Associations (NFHS), structured activity participation was linked to many positive academic, behavioral, psychological, and young adult outcomes…participation in high school sports was positively related with higher grades, higher graduation rates, and higher scores on standardized assessment.
About HCB Fund Mission
The HCB Endowment started with Heather’s vision of making sure all children have access to be their best with the support of their community and the structure and of extracurricular activities. As a swimming and water polo coach Heather grew up knowing the value of sports activities to enrich and help kids learn life lessons as team members.
Who is Heather Cunningham Bridgens?
Heather Michele Cunningham Bridgens, 48 of Cottage Grove, Oregon, passed away on April 8th, 2022. She was a force to all those that knew her. She was a beloved mother, wife, daughter, sister, educator, athlete, swim and water polo coach, and friend.
The Heather Cunningham Bridgens Fund was created to honor a remarkable young woman who had a passion for making sure all children had access to be their best and believed that extracurricular activities were instrumental in helping them learn life lessons as team members to build character and achieve their full potential.
FAQs
Who is covered (area, school districts)?
Students who live in the Cottage Grove area and attend South Lane School Districts schools.
How much does each student receive?
It will depend on how much the fund has raised. We anticipate that it will take some time to get the fund to a level where we can make sports free for all students in the Cottage Grove area. In the meantime, we will work to reduce participation fees as much as the fund will allow.
Is there a limit to how many sports activities a child can participate in?
No, we want to encourage kids to experience and explore any sport they so choose.
How do you make sure underrepresented populations have access?
Each area school and local youth organizations already have scholarships set up to support any student who may not be financially able to pay for participation fees. You can contact the school or organization to learn more about scholarships.
What are the requirements for kids to apply for access?
There is no requirement for kids to apply for access. The HCB Endowment Fund will work directly with South Lane School District to ensure the endowment fund is going towards sports fees.
What is the minimum donation?
There is no minimum donation. We welcome donations, big and small. Every donation will go toward supporting kids in Cottage Grove.
Can I sponsor a kid?
At this time we do not have this option set up. The money raised will support all kids with the ultimate goal of making sports free for all students in Cottage Grove.
Can I sign up for ongoing donations?
Yes, When you go through the online donation you are given the option to sign up for monthly donations if you so choose.