Nikolay earns WASDA nomination

Community member Mary Nikolay was nominated for the Bert Grover Child Advocacy Award through the Wisconsin Association of School District Administrators.

Abbotsford District Administrator Ryan Bargender said Nikolay has been instrumental in leading the charge to donate to recent school projects.

“When we were debating on doing the FEMA project, doing the pool, doing both, doing neither of them, she was the one that donated the first $100,000 and then called everyone else in the community and said, ‘Hey, I’m doing this, you should too,’” Bargender said.

Nikolay is a graduate of the University of Wisconsin-Madison and taught social studies at Wausau High School. After her teaching career in Wausau ended, she became a substitute teacher for Spencer, Colby and Abbotsford schools for many years. Her late husband, Frank, served on the University of Wisconsin Board of Regents. Mary played an instrumental role in helping the district afford both the recent pool and FEMA projects.

Bargender said in his nomination letter, that the school was unsure if it would be able to afford both projects or even just the FEMA project as construction costs had risen and caused the school to have to raise $4.5 million in funds to complete the FEMA project.

At the same time that the FEMA addition was going through its fundraising stage, the district learned the pool had baseball-sized holes in the piping and needed major work. The project would end up costing the district $800,000.

The district surveyed the community and found it supported both projects. A fundraising campaign began and Mary kicked off the donations by giving $100,000 to the swimming pool project. She also challenged other community members to give to the projects. In total, $700,000 was raised and a renovated pool and FEMA construction was able to begin as a result of the donations.

Mary also donates a $25,000 scholarship to a student going to a University of Wisconsin system school and a $25,000 scholarship to a student attending Northcentral Technical College every year.

Bargender ended his letter with another note of thanks to Mary and her generosity.

“The district is forever thankful for Mary’s generosity. She is a true child advocate and is extremely supportive of public education,” Bargender said.

The award has multiple categories. Mary is nominated for the individual/ community based branch of the award. The winner of the award will be announced at the organizations spring convention.