The Marvin’s gifts, which established the Warroad Swim Program Fund, supports programs, projects and activities associated with or supplementing the Warroad Public Schools swim program or the Warroad Outstanding Warriors Swim Club. 

Due to funding cuts to education, the swim program was in jeopardy.  The Marvins felt it was imperative to fully fund the swim program to provide Warroad with instructors and coaches, along with the resources needed to help it thrive. They have learned that transferring assets in this way -- as a philanthropic gift benefiting their community for years to come -- not only adds financial value, but sets the example of how to make a difference.

Marvin friend and colleague Mike Bahnmiller knows of the gift’s impact. He said, “Warroad is fortunate, as a small town, to have such a wonderful swimming facility.  It provides a great recreational outlet for both children and adults.”

Bahnmiller added that Warroad has always had a strong program that sends many swimmers to the Minnesota State High School swim meet. He said, “We believe our pool to be the finest in Northwest Minnesota.  However, maintaining such a facility in top condition can strain the resources of a small community.  Bill and Margaret Marvin recognized the need and provided a gift that will help support the pool for generations to come.”

The Warroad Area Community Fund (WACF) was established as a place for community citizens to easily establish charitable funds to help specific causes.  Bill and Margaret’s gift came at a time when the WACF was just starting to grow.  “The endowment certainly raised the community’s awareness of the WACF as a good place to create programs to help others,” Bahnmiller said.

Not only does the Marvin’s generous gift serve as an example of how philanthropy can increase a community’s assets, it suggests that it is not necessarily a material inheritance that we should be interested in passing on to our children, but a family legacy to our community.