Betsy Kell '73, widow of John Kell, stands by the original entrance to the UW-Eau Claire campus, which was reconstructed with generous assistance by Betsy and her daughters in memory of John Kell '73.

The story behind the John Kell Football Endowment Fund

John Kell '73 loved Blugold football, and in 2003 he and his wife, Betsy '73, established an endowed opportunity fund through the UW-Eau Claire Foundation to help supplement the UW-Eau Claire budget for the program.

"John was passionate about Blugold football," Betsy Kell said. "We established the John Kell Football Endowment because John knew the funding was important to the success of the Blugold program since recruiting, even at the Division III level, is so competitive."

John played defensive tackle for Blugold football from
1969-71 and graduated in 1973 from UW-Eau Claire with a degree in business administration. A successful businessman, he worked in the family business, Kell Container, in Chippewa Falls, serving as president until he died in a motorcycle accident in 2005.

In 2008 the UW-Eau Claire Foundation began the First-and-10-Football Initiative to add $2 million to the endowment by 2016, the Blugolds' centennial. Betsy Kell kicked off the fundraising effort with a pledge of $100,000 in memory of her husband.

Kimera Way, executive director of the UW-Eau Claire Foundation, said the fund received more than $90,000 in fiscal year 2010. In addition, more than $100,000 in multiple-year pledges have been made, plus an estate bequest. With gifts received, pledges and estate commitments, the initiative has exceeded $500,000 or 25 percent of the fundraising goal.

"This is great, but we still have a long way to go to get to our goal," said football head coach Todd Glaser '93. "John Kell understood that we need alumni support if we want to compete in the toughest Division III in the nation."
"John's dad taught him that when you are given opportunities it is important to give back," Betsy Kell said.

The lesson of giving back has been learned by a number of younger football alumni who are opting to give to the First-and-10 Initiative through electronic funds transfer or credit card, Glaser said.

"Every month these alumni are having gifts between $10 and $50 withdrawn from their checking accounts for total annual gifts of $120 to $600," Glaser said. "This is an easy way for young alumni to make a significant contribution without it being too difficult on their budget."

Glaser and Betsy Kell hope this example of giving by the younger alumni will inspire other alumni, too.