Mielke Family Foundation values education
Education has to do with discovery – that learning of the culture, the meanings assigned, the rarefied techniques that have come out of life experiences of people.
The Mielke Family Foundation is one of the most active philanthropic foundations in northeast Wisconsin. It was established in 1963 by Dr. Edward F. Mielke and his wife, Beulah (Bea), together with sisters Ruth and Sarah Mielke. A native of Shawano, Wisconsin, Dr. Mielke practiced medicine in Appleton for 60 years. Ruth presided over the library at Appleton West High School for 40 years, and Sarah taught advanced mathematics at Shawano High School. In 1996, the Foundation reorganized to become the first supporting organization within the Community Foundation for the Fox Valley Region. Residents of Appleton and Shawano serve on its Grants Committee and Board of Directors. Members of the second and third generations of the Mielke Family are active participants in the work of the Foundation and, through the establishment of funds within the Foundation, perpetuate the philosophy of giving back to the community in which one lives.
