Since his first gift to the Foundation in 2006, Dr. Tom Anderson, retired oncologist, has given in honor of cancer victims who were former patients, including Carrie Gasch, Dick Wilder, and, of course, Dolores Snyder, plus others. It’s only natural that Dr. Anderson’s tradition of giving developed as an extension of his professional practice. Though he is no longer practicing medicine, he continues to make a difference in his community.

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“I know even my small gifts can make a difference when they are combined with the gifts of others, and I believe I need to do my part," Anderson said. "We all need to give back. It makes us better people.”

Having returned from active duty with the Army in World War II, Forrest Allen left his family’s sheep ranch in Montana in 1948 to homestead near Heart Mountain.  He lived without electricity, gas or phone that first year in barracks moved from the nearby Japanese-American internment camp.
 

Year after year as Forrest worked the land, Heart Mountain became a reflection of himself – an enduring marker of place and perseverance, of quiet constancy.  And like the mountain, Forrest’s legacy will stand forever.
 

At age 93, Forrest committed $1 million of his life’s savings to perpetuate ag-related scholarships at Northwest College.  His gift was matched by the State of Wyoming, generating a $2 million endowment.  Along with financial support, Forrest passes on character traits important to succeed in agricultural endeavors – fiscal responsibility, self-reliance and a patient, can-do attitude.

Click to watch a short video about Forrest Allen and his remarkable gift to Northwest College.

Larry Earhart, ’64, grew up farming on the Willwood. At Northwest College, and later the University of Wyoming, he studied animal husbandry and gained the knowledge to add a registered cattle operation to the family agriculture business.
 

Larry also credits NWC for broadening his horizons. As a NWC football player, he shared time with teammates from around the country.  “It was an eye-opener for a little Wyoming farm boy,” said Earhart about his introduction to city dwellers and racial diversity.  He values that Northwest exposed him to different ways of looking at things.
 

Two of Larry’s brothers and his daughter, Andrea, also attended Northwest College. After his parents’ deaths, the family set up a scholarship endowment in their memory for livestock judging students.

For those who were lucky enough to know her, Carrie Gasch inspired them to give.  As an influential member of the fundraising team at the Northwest College Foundation, she added life to the annual phonathon and created unforgettable employee campaigns.
 

Carrie’s work gave her an insider view of students who were in need of scholarships and she was powerfully moved by nursing students as she battled cancer and experienced their care firsthand.  She deeply admired the hard work and commitment that nurses put in to become a vital caregiver.  Carrie’s dying wish was to create a scholarship legacy that would benefit nursing students in her name.
 

Her ‘pay-it-forward’ attitude still influences the spirit of fundraising at the Northwest College Foundation to this day where a familiar mantra, Do it Carrie’s Way, still rings within the office.

When Northwest College student Cole Schanz lost his life in 2007, his family and friends came together to create a memorial fund at the College in his honor. At the time, Patrick Whiting was barely out of NWC himself, and he was in no position to contribute to a memorial in honor of his NWC roommate and longtime friend. Since Patrick became the brew master at Hop Valley Brewing in Oregon, however, he has been able to honor Cole each year by brewing a small batch brew in Cole’s honor.
 

Patrick Whiting and Cole Schanz met during their freshman year of high school in Billings Montana. When they both decided to come to college at Northwest College in 2004, they chose to room together. As best friends and fellow music majors, they recorded and played music together and commuted back and forth to Billings together. According to Patrick, brewing beer is “similar to writing and recording a song. It’s a nice blend of creativity, science, and hard work.”   It seems natural to him to honor his friend through a creative process. “Cole was a very close friend of mine and I hope this perpetuates his legacy. Every year I hope to brew more and raise more money for Cole’s endowment,” Patrick said after his second donation to the Foundation.