Dairyland has donated a total of $25,000 to the Boys and Girls Club of Greater La Crosse (BGC) to support the development of their Life and Workforce Readiness Center. The 16,000 square-foot addition to the Terry Erickson Club features state-of-the-art learning spaces, including areas dedicated to technology, media, innovation, life skills, construction and more.

The center is designed to offer youth a safe space, positive mentorship, quality programming and real-life work experiences. It will provide opportunities to discover career paths and build skills for personal and professional growth. Their focus on preparing youth for productive futures and their commitment to fostering a highly skilled workforce will strengthen our local communities and be instrumental in developing tomorrow’s leaders.

“At Dairyland, we believe that investing in our youth is an investment in the future of our communities,” said Dairyland President and CEO Brent Ridge. “We are proud to support the Life and Workforce Readiness Center project – a donation that reaffirms our commitment to workforce development and building stronger and more resilient communities. This space will empower young people with the skills, confidence and support they need to thrive.”

This donation includes a $10,000 match from CoBank, a national cooperative bank, through CoBank’s Sharing Success Program along with an additional commitment from Dairyland for the remaining $5,000 in 2026. The total donation will be used to help further the development of the Life and Workforce Readiness Center, which aligns with the cooperative principle of Concern for Community.

“We are incredibly grateful to Dairyland Power Cooperative for their generous support of our Life & Workforce Readiness Center,” said Jake Erickson, CEO of the Boys & Girls Clubs of Greater La Crosse. “This investment will help us reach thousands of youth with the tools, experiences and opportunities they need to explore careers, gain confidence and build brighter futures. Support from community partners like Dairyland is essential to bringing this vision to life, and we can’t thank them enough.”