Hall of Fame

Nationwide combines philanthropy, workplace giving, and volunteerism to make a powerful impact—focusing their efforts on important priorities like emergencies, basic needs, and crisis stabilization. For nearly a decade, Nationwide has been a corporate sponsor to CFUM. Their contributions have sponsored Breakfast Club, Supper Club, and our Educational Success initiatives. CFUM remains eternally grateful for their support, and we are immensely proud to welcome them into our Hall of Fame.

Tony and Vonnie Salem have been financial contributors and volunteers for CFUM for more than 20 years. Tony was one of the ‘Four Old Men’ who flipped pancakes and fixed scrambled eggs for the kids at Breakfast Club five days a week. Together, the four of them received the Heroes of the Heartland Award. Vonnie was a longstanding volunteer, reading with kids as a ‘Reading Buddy’ but also contributed her time and emergency to DMARC and Des Moines Public Schools. Jokingly, Vonnie regarded CFUM as Tony’s mistress— she never knew how much time he spent there or for that matter, how much money he gave.

For nearly a decade, Nix and Virginia Lauridsen have generously given to CFUM—helping the organization reach hundreds of children and impacting thousands of lives.  Virginia and Nix’s passion for giving can be summed up by this statement found in the Business Record—“Lauridsen said: the best part of her, and her husband’s philanthropy is working with other people to see it come to fruition. It’s the process of doing it together, as a community.”

Richard Nordin has been a consistent face at the Breakfast Club since the 1980s and began to volunteer at CFUM shortly after his retirement from full-time work in 2009. Richard can be found at Breakfast Club, with a stack of children’s books that he has checked out from the Des Moines Public Library—reading individually to kids, or to a table full of engaged children. Mr. Richard (as he’s lovingly referred to) has and continues to be a dedicated, present volunteer at CFUM… sharing his love of reading to all program participants.