For Nick and Katie Jaggi and their family, a love of community, a passion for helping others, and deep roots planted firmly in Mackinaw City are their foundation for giving back to their tight-knit town.

“We love Mackinaw City and all it has to offer. The area is rich in history, blessed with the beauty of the great outdoors, and filled with people who love to be here and want to enrich our community,” says Katie Jaggi. “We believe strongly in giving locally.”

Katie and her husband, Nick, (pictured left) own and operate Audie’s Restaurant, nestled at the southern end of the Mackinac Bridge in Mackinaw City. The eatery has been a community staple and visitor favorite since it opened in 1974. Nick’s parents, Edgar and Audrey Jaggi, saved for years to purchase the restaurant, with their five children doing what they could to help with the work. For the Jaggi’s, giving back to their community is part of their business and a family tradition.

“From the beginning, Audie’s was built on a foundation of family and hard work. For several years, we were living in the back of the restaurant in what is now our office space,” says Nick, who took over running the restaurant when his parents retired. “As everyone worked hard in the restaurant and business grew, we learned valuable life lessons and became invested in the spirit of service and giving.”

That spirit of giving led to the creation of the Audie’s Open Scholarship Fund. (The name “Audie’s” was suggested by a family friend who called Nick’s mother “Audie” for short.) This permanent endowment fund holds a portion of the proceeds from the annual Audie’s Open Golf Tournament that started in 1991 to help raise funds for a scholarship to send Mackinaw City graduates to college.

Edgar and Audrey Jaggi and other founding members of the Fund wanted to invest in a way that represented their goal of helping those in their local communities.

“My parents decided to invest the Fund at the Straits Area Community Foundation because it aligned with their goals of giving locally, and helping Mackinaw City and its people to succeed,” says Nick. “At the restaurant, we work closely with the local youth and community at large. Many Mackinaw City students work two jobs during the summer season while balancing sports and other activities. Helping these kids is rewarding both in the short term when they clean up at graduation, and in the long term as we see them come back to contribute to Mackinaw City as adult college graduates.”

Each spring, 80-100 golfers participate in the golf outing. Money raised on the golf course and the green fees go to support the current year’s scholarships, while proceeds from hole sponsorships are endowed in the Audie’s Open Scholarship Fund at SACF.

“Our hope is that the Audie’s Open Scholarship Fund will continue to provide gifts to Mackinaw City students for years to come,” says Katie. “At this time, we are blessed with volunteers who are willing to organize the outing; the support of the community at large who come out and golf no matter the weather; and with business owners who offer donations to help us raise funds. This endowment fund gives us an assurance that even if the golf outing doesn’t take place or Audie’s should close someday, our mission to help Mackinaw City students will continue forever.”

Nick says he and his family feel SACF is the best place to start to ensure their gift makes a difference in their community.

“SACF is invested in our local community and here to serve,” says Nick. “They make giving easy so you can support the cause that matters most to you. The SACF will guide you through the steps to build your fund and stay in close contact throughout the year providing updates on how your fund is growing.”

For Nick, Katie, and their family, giving through the Straits Area Community Foundation to support their community has expanded from their scholarship fund. They regularly give through SACF to support Music in Mackinaw, helping to provide the popular concert series that attracts locals and visitors alike during the summer months.

“In a restaurant, there is always a way to help someone in need whether it is a warm meal and a break from the cold or an opportunity to work when all other doors appear to be closed,” says Katie. “Your gift, no matter how small, makes a difference in someone's life.”

Anyone can contribute to the Audie’s Open Scholarship Fund at any time, and at any amount, to support this scholarship for Mackinaw City students.

####