Andy Boss rides in the 4th in the Park parade as the 2008 winner. Andy Boss was one of the founding members of the Foundation.
1999-2019: Under the leadership of Executive Director, Jon Schumacher, the Foundation supported several community initiatives including the development of the Creative Enterprise Zone (CEZ) and Transition Town and continued to support community-building activities across District 12, including the 4th in the Park, the SAP Arts Fest, Progressive Dinner, Park B4 Dark, Shop Home for the Holidays and the Chroma Zone Mural & Arts Fest in the CEZ.
One of Jon’s many passions and accomplishments was establishment of the E2 Program. The Foundation received a request from Murray Middle School science teacher, Tim Chase who approached Jon about an idea of partnering with Wolf Ridge, an environmental learning center, to develop the E2 program.
Jon successfully found the funding to establish the program. Murray Middle School has continued to receive funding from the Foundation.
Gerald McKay, a founding member of the Foundation, receives the Spirit of the Park Award in 2007.
2023 E2 Scholarship Winner, Sophie Moore with Julie Drechsler, Executive Director, Tim Chase, Murray Middle School and former Executive Director, Jon Schumacher.
Read more about Jon Schumacher’s time with the Foundation here:
A Brief History of the Saint Anthony Park Foundation
1998 - The Foundation was started by a group of visionary neighbors with a mission of securing a strong and vibrant neighborhood for future generations. Foundation appoints first Executive Director, Ginger Bethe.
1999-The Foundation appoints Jon Schumacher as its Executive Director. Jon serves the Foundation for 20 years until his retirement in 2019.
2003 - The Foundation commissioned David Lanegran, Macalester Geography professor and author of the seminal history of our neighborhood, St. Anthony Park: Portrait of a Community, to take a current snapshot of our district. This updated perspective, St. Anthony Park: A Community Built on a Solid Foundation, contained demographic research and neighborhood survey results that helped to inform the Foundation’s first Strategic Plan, as well as the St. Anthony Park District 12 Community Council’s 2005 Comprehensive Ten Year Plan.
2004 - The Foundation prioritized the development of an endowment campaign to establish a permanent source of grant funding. This funding would support the critical non-profit institutions and programming to strengthen and sustain community viability into the future.
2006 - We affiliated with the Saint Paul Foundation to help build endowed funds to $1M ten years later.
2006 - The Foundation convened a series of public forums concerning the future of retail in St. Anthony Park. Neighbors and merchants brainstormed solutions to strengthen the retail environment resulting in a “Keep it in the Neighborhood” Buy Local campaign.
2008 - After finishing the 10-year Comprehensive Plan, the Foundation partnered with the Community Council to support long-range planning and organized the development of the Como 2030 Small Area Plan for Como Avenue in North St. Anthony Park that was approved as an amendment to the 10-year Comprehensive Plan.
2015 - The Foundation reached that $1M goal through not one, but three endowed funds, the Andy Boss, Environmental Education, and Gerald R. McKay Family Music Funds.
2020- The Foundation Board adapted the Community Grant Program to be more responsive to community need during the pandemic. Foundation appoints Alison Schaub as Executive Director.
2020-2021-The Foundation engaged a consultant to guide the Board in the development of a new strategic plan. A new and more defined focus was established, the work of the Foundation would focus on activities that supported our three objectives: Convene – Catalyze - Steward. Foundation appoints Lauren Renner as Interim Director until the appointment of Julie Drechsler as Executive Director in November 2021.
2023-Establishment of the Michael Brasel Fund for Youth Endowed Fund. The Spirit of the Park award is changed to the Michael Brasel Spirit of the Park to honor and recognize Michael Brasel’s love for Saint Anthony Park.
2024-The Foundation awards the first Michael Brasel Fund for Youth Grant to the Twin Cities Big Brother Big Sister program.