This year’s Giving Tuesday fundraiser by the Golden Belt Community Foundation came close to raising $1 million. The top recipient, the Great Bend Recreation Commission Foundation, raised $307,263.31.
John Francis joined GBRC representatives in accepting the trophy and big simulated check, noting the Rec Foundation and the new Friends of Great Bend group are working to create a community golf course in Great Bend.
“Thank you everyone. It’s been a two-year goal of ours, and I love all the people here. The stewardship is why we love living in Great Bend, Kansas. People have big hearts, and they open up their checkbooks for their big hearts. After about two years of trying to get the golf course open again, Kim (Vink) and I formed Friends of Great Bend.”
The the Rec Commission got involved, and Rick and Lois Ball generously donated the former Club at StoneRidge golf course property to the GBRC Foundation. An energized team is looking forward to getting a community golf course going as an asset for the community, Francis said. (See related story in today’s Great Bend Tribune.)
Pawnee Rock won the Most Generous City award. That is based on the ZIP code that donated the most money per capita. Along with an MGC trophy, Pawnee Rock will receive $1,000 from the GBCF to put toward a community project or program. Last year’s winner, Great Bend, used its $1,000 to add a sign at Heizer Park, putting the final touch on the park improvement project.
Mackenzie Mitchell, development and communications coordinator with the GBCF, said this was the 12th year for the Giving Tuesday campaign here. There were 127 participating organizations – the most ever – from Barton, Pawnee, Rush and Stafford counties, as well as Edwards County, which joined for the first time. The campaign raised a record-breaking $973,952.
“This year marked GBCF’s 12th year to be a Giving Tuesday partner,” stated Mackenzie Mitchell, Development and Communications Coordinator, “and again this year we invited all charitable organizations in Barton, Edwards, Pawnee, Rush, and Stafford counties to participate.”
Mitchell further explained that there were a handful of new organizations participating, and that each organization chose whether to get any gifts received as a grant back to their organization or to use the gifts to build their endowment fund at GBCF. Many organizations chose to receive the gifts as grants to be put to immediate use supporting a wide variety of missions and causes.
GBCF Executive Director Jason Murray thanked community members “for your support, participation, and spreading the word about Giving Tuesday.” He added, “Giving Tuesday couldn’t happen without you.”
The Top 10 Countdown
The Top 10 recipients (in reverse order) were:
• Golden Belt Humane Society, $18,583.55
• Holy Family School, $20,230.40
• Family Crisis Center, $21,361.35
• Community Food Bank of Barton County, $24,031.31
• Prairie Godmothers Fund, $24,413.67
• Stafford County Economic Development, $30,008.76
• Live Like Jesus Today Ministries, $31,709.14
• Prince of Peace Catholic Church, $36,714.41
• Barton Community College Foundation, $117,525.16
• Great Bend Recreation Commission Foundation $307,263.31.
Giving Tuesday started as a day for anyone, anywhere to give, and it has grown into the biggest giving movement in the world. Giving Tuesday harnesses the generosity of millions of people around the world to support the causes they believe in and the communities in which they live. Celebrated on the Tuesday following Thanksgiving, Giving Tuesday inspires millions of people across the globe to show up and give back to causes and issues that matter to them.
In 2026, Giving Tuesday will be celebrated on Dec. 1st. For questions about Golden Belt Community Foundation or Giving Tuesday, contact the foundation at gbcf@goldenbeltcf.org or 620-792-3000.
This story was updated on Dec. 19, 2025
