ROCKFORD (RAMP) -- RAMP’s Finance Committee and Board of Directors has made the decision to pay off the loan for the Stephenson County RAMP building in full by using a very generous gift RAMP received from the Eunice W. Stromberg Estate in 2010.

A majority of the loan amount will be paid by the Stromberg Trust and RAMP will borrow the remaining amount from their line of credit. The organization will continue making the same monthly payments as they were towards the building loan resulting in a two year pay back. After the line of credit is paid back, the Finance Committee advised to continue making monthly payments back to RAMP until the amount of the Stromberg Trust has been restored. By paying off this loan now instead of over the course of the next sixteen years, RAMP will save over $151,000 in interest charges!

“I think the decision to pay off our debt is a bold one and one that makes sense,” stated RAMP’s Executive Director, Julie Bosma. “Even though things are difficult in Illinois and we do not know what the future holds, I believe the Board’s move is one of confidence and one of keeping their priorities straight. By divesting our organization of all debt, we are moving towards a more secure financial position and away from being afraid of the future. For the staff, and therefore our consumers, that means a lot!”

The generous gift RAMP received in 2010 is from the Eunice W. Stromberg Estate. Since Eunice is no longer with us, RAMP honors her by sharing a little about her. Eunice Wilma Wishop was born in 1912. She graduated from Brown’s Business College in Rockford and worked as a secretary at National Lock and later at Drop Forge. She married Phillip Stromberg in 1940 and together they enjoyed dancing to big bands, playing cards with friends and traveling. She also enjoyed sewing and researching her family history, including ancestors who were early settlers of Winnebago County.