La Crosse’s UFAH kicks off “Ripple Effect” campaign to support 12 local groups

Arts and humanities have been said to help lower the drop-out rate, improve health and increase tourism.

Those are arguments that La Crosse’s United Fund for the Arts and Humanities (UFAH) made Tuesday to help raise funding for 12 local groups this year.

UFAH hosted a Breakfast with the Board on Tuesday kicking off it’s “Ripple Effect” campaign to raise $140,000 in 2024. Since 1983, it’s raised over $4.8 million for local groups.

Allison Krzych, director of the Pump House, said during Tuesday’s kick-off breakfast at the Radisson Center, downtown, that most of the money goes straight to the performing groups and others supported by UFAH.

“What was the statistic? I think it was 92 cents on every $1 is actually distributed directly to the organizations,” Krzych said.

UFAH campaign leaders pointed out that people who go to shows or museums also spend extra money on meals or travel, helping the local economy.

The groups that belong to UFAH are already more than 20 percent to their goal.

Dustin and Dominique Luecke are co-chairs of the campaign again this year.

Dominique said raising funds through the UFAH effort helps take some of the burden off the individual arts groups, “so that they can focus, not on fundraising, but on creating the programs that engage us, that entertain us, that educate us, so it makes a huge impact on our community.”

While most of the UFAH groups are connected to the arts — like the La Crosse Community Theatre and Coulee Chordsmen — that list also includes the UW-La Crosse Mississippi Valley Archaeology Center and the La Crosse County Historical Society.