Milbank Philanthropists Doug and Linda Buri Honored with SDCF Hometown Hero Award
- Steve Jurrens
- 20 hours ago
- 2 min read
Northeast Radio SD News – Milbank, SD - Doug and Linda Buri have been recognized for their lifelong dedication to community service and philanthropy, officially receiving the South Dakota Community Foundation (SDCF) Hometown Hero Award.
According to the SDCF, the Hometown Hero designation is reserved for a special group of individuals who exhibit a profound passion for helping their communities grow and thrive. The Buris have been driving forces in Milbank since 1980, the year Linda opened her local business, Linda’s Fashions. She later made local history when she was elected as the first female president of the Milbank Chamber of Commerce.
Over the decades, the couple’s charitable reach has been extensive. Doug and Linda have provided vital support to numerous local organizations, including the Milbank Educational Foundation, Milbank Fire and Rescue, the Milbank Hospital, Combined Appeal, Milbank Valley Hospice, the Backpack Program, It Only Takes a Spark, and the Milbank Snow Queen Festival. Their generosity also extends beyond Milbank, actively supporting Grow Castlewood in Linda’s hometown.
Recently, the Buris took another major step to ensure their charitable impact continues by establishing a donor-advised endowment fund (DAF) with the SDCF.
“With this fund, Linda and I are able to see our charitable dollars grow over time and distribute funds to any nonprofit organizations we choose, forever,” Doug Buri explained. “We trust the investment and administrative expertise provided by SDCF and are honored to partner with them in creating a stronger Milbank and South Dakota.”
A notable beneficiary of the Buris’ ongoing generosity is the Fairy Godmother’s Fund (FGF), a permanent endowment held at the SDCF. The FGF provides immediate, short-term financial assistance to South Dakota women facing limited resources while coping with crises such as sudden illness, job loss, or abuse.
“We help them get back on their feet,” administrators from the FGF noted of the program’s mission.
Ginger Niemann, SDCF Senior Program Officer, praised the couple’s steadfast dedication to the fund and their broader community impact.
“We are grateful to the Buris for their continued support of the Fairy Godmother’s Fund,” Niemann said. “It is because of generous donors like Doug and Linda that we are able to create a never-ending story of people helping people.”
