Rebecca Weber Memorial Fund Awards First Grant to Joy Ranch of South Dakota

The Watertown Area Community Foundation shares the first grant awarded from the Rebecca Weber Memorial Fund, established in honor of Rebecca “Becky” Weber.

In late December, the Fund awarded a $5,000 grant to Joy Ranch of South Dakota. The grant was presented to Joy Nelson, founder of Joy Ranch by Becky’s parents, Richard and Karen Weber, her two brothers Travis and Jarod, and their families.

The gift will support Joy Ranch’s new multi-purpose recreational facility currently under construction. The fully accessible, year-round facility is designed for all ages and abilities and will include two regulation-size indoor pickleball courts with adaptable equipment, along with flexible event space for camps, retreats, and gatherings. The facility is expected to be completed by summer 2026.

Becky had a long-standing connection to the Watertown Area Community Foundation, beginning with her service on the Foundation’s Youth Council. At the time of her passing in 2024, she was an active member of the Women & Giving Advisory Committee.

While in college, Becky volunteered with Camp Kesem in Minnesota, a camp dedicated to supporting children whose parents are battling cancer. That experience shaped her belief in camps as essential places for young people and helped inform the causes she cared most deeply about.

“Becky was the kind of person who consistently looked for ways to contribute, often without drawing attention to herself,” said Cammie Mengwasser, Executive Director of the Watertown Area Community Foundation. “It is meaningful to see her values continue through this fund and especially fitting that its first grant supports a place where young people can go and feel supported. This is a continuation of the way Becky lived.”

The Rebecca Weber Memorial Fund was established to honor Becky’s commitment to Watertown through her community service and philanthropy. Its first grant reflects her steady focus on making the community stronger.

Continuing Becky’s Legacy >>> Rebecca Weber’s parents, Karen and Richard Weber, along with her brothers Jarod and Travis and their families, present a grant check to Joy Nelson in support of Joy Ranch of South Dakota’s new multi-purpose facility.

 

>>While in college, Becky spent her summers volunteering at Camp Kesem in Minnesota, a camp dedicated to supporting children coping with a parent’s cancer diagnosis. She poured her energy into creating a place of joy for kids facing incredibly difficult circumstances.