By the Bootstraps is inspired by the hard work and grit of Uncle David. Uncle David is the guy whose house you went to for summer parties (as long as you could get passed his Dobermans) and the guy who grilled at your wedding for all the guests because “being there” is just what he does!   

He is also the guy who is up before dawn every day.  A glass of milk with dinner kinda guy. He is working.  Day in and day out.  Doing the hard work that delivers our culture to our doors.  Depending on the day, his boots may be coated with grease on the pedal of a tractor trailer or they may be caked in manure while he throws hay in the pasture.   And somedays, he cleans up real nice and his dapper cowboy boots and aftershave are there to hit you with the best hug and a “God damn, how are ya?”

The efforts of Uncle David’s elbow grease have literally reached your door through your delivery or your dinner.  His bright blue eyes pierce through the edges on his face… and maybe, just maybe, one or two folks feel a little intimated by his confident stance and unwavering presence.  Yet, beside him stands Aunt Mindy.  And anyone who knows an Uncle David… knows the real work horse is Aunt Mindy.  Her grace only outdone by his commitment.

Uncle David expects a lot out of people.   Life was not handed to him.  It was earned.  Sometimes the cards unfolded with incredible hardship… and sometimes, his efforts paid off in ways that allowed you to swim In his indoor pool on a frozen Minnesota February day.  Yet, even as the ice creeped behind the steamy windows of his pool house on the farm (yep- you read that right!), you always knew, Uncle David works for every advantage and has paid for his perceived windfall with consistent, repeated, early morning wake up calls and long days… and the grit required to get through the detours life. 

While we believe hard work sure increases your chances of being “lucky”, Uncle David knows first hand how sometimes despite the best of efforts and determination, life doesn’t always bring ease.  In fact, everyone needs a leg up once In a while.  And after an organization he intended to leave his legacy to angered him, he called us up and said “I wanna give some of this to the folks who have some ‘get up and go.’ Folks with a track record and won’t throw It down the tube.”  Not finding the organization that fit the bill, By the Bootstraps Foundation was born. And hence, you see our organization supports those already on a mission… sometimes it’s to an organization who needs a boost to hit that initiative, and sometimes its the individual who is already on the path, but needs a lift to get to the next level. Helping the helpers. Boosting those already doing the hard work to accomplish a mission. That is what we are about.

Even Uncle David knows, everyone needs an Uncle David In their lives.