Pete Blinkilde has been invested since the beginning.  

“[My wife] Karin and I were excited from the inception of the original fund drive,” said the local retired veterinarian of the 1988 start of the Greenville Area Community Foundation (GACF). “We were excited about the long-term view and potential. “   

Though he grew up in metro Detroit, Blinkilde calls Greenville his hometown. “Since we arrived this has been a very unique community…There’s such a philanthropic spirit here,” he said. 

The involvement came naturally to the first generation Danish American. Blinkilde joined a foundation committee, then became a trustee in 1998, vice chair in 2002, and board chair in 2006. “I’ve been so happy to serve our community in this capacity,” he said.  

Blinkilde is proud of the consistency in the foundation toward values of community mindedness, collaborative decision making, and the continued capacity for growth. Affiliate funds have expanded past Greenville’s borders to neighboring communities and Montcalm County at large.  

“I don’t think we would have predicted this 35 years ago,” he said. “This started out as a $100,000 fundraiser and now we’re teetering on the $50 million mark between donations and growth…I think that’s remarkable.” 

Community foundations provide both short-term solutions with money going to immediate needs, but also long-term solutions, where money is invested and used year after year. “35 years really shows the variety and depth we have as a foundation and what a large philanthropic community we’ve developed, with both big donors and small donors,” he said. “The body of work over time is really pretty incredible.” 

Though impossible to choose any favorite supported projects, Blinkilde said he enjoys biking the almost 9-mile Fred Meijer Flat River Trail, complete with a tunnel GACF helped make a reality for a safe, connected trail. And, as the son of a former school board member, Blinkilde said he’s proud of how the GACF supports education with various scholarships, vocational programs and more. “It helps our schools do a little more, to innovate, and to support the children of our community.” 

In 2020 Blinkilde and Karin established the donor-advised Blinkilde Family Fund to provide funding for grants to qualifying charitable organizations in the foundation’s service area. 

“I encourage others to have a long-term view and learn how community foundations can have an impact now and in the future. The cool thing with foundations is they pay it forward a long time after you’re gone,” he said. “What a great way to give back to a place I view as special and worth our efforts to keep special.” 

As GACF celebrates its 35th anniversary, we bring together the collective stories of donors, nonprofits, students, and community members to demonstrate the power of philanthropy in creating lasting impact and a stronger future.