Gerard Keating, founder of the Atkinson, Nebraska-based Keating Family Foundation, announced that the Foundation created a journalism award in the name of Atkinson resident Lorraine Lieswald to celebrate her 40 years of contribution to journalism in the Atkinson community.

“Lorraine’s contribution to celebrating and maintaining the history of the Atkinson community, through hundreds of articles authored by her over 40 years, has made an indelible mark on the community which will last forever.”

Keating said one of Lorraine’s early gifts was transcribing, in 1981, the words of Atkinson pioneer Gladys Boucher to create the book Up North on the River that describes Gladys’s life from birth on her ranch fronting the Niobrara River from 1888-1981. The ranch is now owned by Keating who has restored a home and a one-room schoolhouse located on the ranch which are referenced in the book.

Keating said the award will be called “The Lorraine Lieswald Gold Medal of Journalism.” It will be awarded annually, on Lorraine’s birth date, to one student living in Holt or Boyd County, Nebraska—between the ages of 10 and 13—who bests capture the book’s spirit in a summary of 500 words or less. Along with the medal, the winner will also receive an expense-paid, 3-day trip for two to Washington DC to tour monuments promoting freedom of speech and journalism.

The Keating Family Foundation was created on June 22, 2022, to help grow the population of Atkinson, Holt County, and the other 20 counties in Nebraska that have experienced four consecutive decades of population decline. The Foundation has been approved by the United States Department of Treasury as a 501(c)(3) Foundation. Donations are tax-deductible.

The Foundation’s strategy for success is focused on three areas: creating or maintaining cultural experiences, creating workforce housing, and creating employment opportunities for individuals with high-demand technical skills. To date, the Foundation has invested over $1,000,000 in Atkinson.

Keating Resources is owned by Gerard and Alec Keating. The company invests in real estate in Florida, Texas, South Dakota, and Nebraska and has offices in Atkinson, Nebraska, and Dallas, Texas.

For more information regarding Keating Resources, please contact Gerard Keating at 402-925-5113 or gerard@keatingresources.com or contact Alec Keating at 630-648-9967 or alec@keatingresources.com.