Marjorie and V.M. Baich Foundation

Since 1997
The Marjorie & V.M. Baich Foundation was founded in 1997, to provide scholarships for college and vocational studies for high school seniors and non-traditional students in Itasca County and Chisholm. The secondary goal is to award grants to improve healthcare and emergency services in the same area.

Eligibility and Criteria

Scholarships
Our scholarships are awarded for the amount of $1000 with the opportunity for renewals for $750. This amount is sent to the university or trade school to be used towards tuition.
Eligibility
Scholarships are intended for High School seniors graduating from High Schools in Itasca County and Chisholm High School. Non-traditional students from this area are also welcome to apply.
Deadline
All Applications must be received by the 31st of March.
Grants
As our secondary goal, the Foundation offers the opportunity for grants, provided they fulfill the following criteria:
  • Proposals are submitted by a non-profit organization
  • Organization is located in Itasca County or the surrounding areas
  • Intended use is to improve healthcare and emergency services

About the Baich Foundation

The Baich Foundation
The desire for education has deep roots within the Baich family, going all the way back to our grandfather, Michael Baich, born in 1880 in Vrhovine, Yugoslavia, the region of the famous waterfalls of Plitvice. He was selected to attend the School of Learning on an honorary scholarship, and later became a Trustee of the school as well as an endowing member.

He emigrated to the United States in 1901, settling in the Chisholm area in 1902. He was a cultural, educational and religious leader in the community, with a clothing store in Chisholm and a farm in the Balkan township. He married Vasilia Hydukovich, who emigrated from Brinje, Yugoslavia and their 7 children were all University graduates, which was unusual for the 5 daughters in those times.
The importance of education was passed on to Velemir Michael Baich, born in 1917, who became a physician/surgeon and practiced in the Bovey/Coleraine area for over 50 years. He and his wife, Dorothy Johnson, had three children, all of whom were also University graduates. "Vicki" or "Doc", as he was affectionately called, was a life-long student himself, taking classes at IJC well into his 70's.

He and Marjorie Drobnick, whom he married in 1956, set up the Baich Foundation in 1997, to support students in the area in their post-high school studies. They also donated emergency medical equipment to the surrounding communities.

Both Vicki and Marjorie have passed away, but their descendants are carrying on in the spirit and tradition to keep the Baich Foundation working to provide scholarships to students in the area of Itasca County and Chisholm.

Application Process

Basic application information
Four application types are available from the Baich foundation:
  • High School Seniors Applications
  • Renewal Applications
  • Non-Traditional Applications
  • Grant Applications
Preferably, applications are to be submitted electronically. Complete application forms must be received by March 31st to be considered. Awards are announced in April.
Apply now
To submit an application, please click the button below.

CLICK TO APPLY

Contact Us

Address
Baich Foundation
c/o William Mager
P.O. Box 5154
Grand Rapids, MN 55744
Email
info@baichfoundation.org
"The greatest good you can do for another is not just to share your riches but to reveal to him his own."

-Benjamin Disraeli