John and Kari Kreft: At the Intersection of Community Connectedness 

John grew up in Arlington, Minnesota, and Kari grew up in Staples, Minnesota. Their paths crossed while they were teaching and coaching at West Central Area Schools (WCA) in Elbow Lake. Their love story started with a memorable proposal. John invited Kari’s first-grade students to flip over cards that spelled out “Will You Marry Me.” Even with a slight mix-up of the letters, Kari said yes. Now 30 years later, the couple has built a life rooted in service. After raising their family in Elbow Lake, they continue to invest their time, talents, and energy in strengthening their community. 

Learning to Give Back 

For John and Kari, building community begins with a simple invitation. 

For the past 25 years, John has taught high school students carpentry through WCA’s Carpentry & Community Projects class. Students learn valuable construction skills while completing projects that benefit Elbow Lake, surrounding communities, WCA Schools, and the students themselves. 

“The kids pick up skills quickly and are interested in learning, creating, and contributing,” John said. 

Outside the classroom, John is an active member of the Elbow Lake Lions Club. As longtime members began stepping back, he helped recruit new volunteers. 

“When I joined, our Lions group had begun to age out, so we started inviting others to get engaged, and now we have a robust group able to accomplish more good work,” John stated. 

Kari shares that same commitment through her work as an educational instructional coach and Grant County Collaborative Coordinator focusing on early childhood, mental health and connecting youth and families. Whether organizing intergenerational events for seniors or a holiday carnival, she enjoys bringing people together to create something meaningful. 

Both believe that many people are willing to help—they simply need to be invited. 

A Partnership That Strengthens Communities 

The family Christmas following the death of his father John and his siblings gathered to discuss how they could honor their parents’ legacy in Arlington. 

That conversation reinforced something John had long appreciated––the value of having a trusted community foundation close to home. 

Through community funds that strengthen local schools and libraries, grants to nonprofits, and loans that help small businesses grow, West Central Initiative has been a reliable partner in making Elbow Lake a place where people want to live, work, and invest. 

Kari remembers one example especially well. A West Central Initiative grant helped support COVID-era community events and at a Touch A Truck event, a young boy admired a fire truck and asked his father why he wasn’t a firefighter. 

That simple question inspired his father to join the Elbow Lake Fire Department. 

“These intersections for good don’t just happen,” Kari said. “It takes a few community members to see what is possible and invite others in. We are thankful for all of the doers in our community! These are just a few reasons why we support the work of West Central Initiative and invite others to consider the same.”