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FAIRFIELD – The Greater Jefferson County Foundation celebrated both its 50th anniversary and its 27th year of awarding grants during an awards ceremony Tuesday, Aug. 26 at the Fairfield Arts & Convention Center.

Former board member Dave Eastburn summed it up best during his remarks when he said, “Last night when I went to sleep it was 1975, and when I woke up this morning it is 2025!” Eastburn reviewed the history of the foundation, and painted a picture of Fairfield and the county at the time of its creation a half century ago. It was a tumultuous time for the city, with Parsons College having closed just two years prior and Maharishi International University moving in the very next year. Eastburn noted that the county’s population had declined 4 percent in the two years since Parsons closed, and the loss of fundraising from the college coupled with uncertainty about the fate of Dexter Laundry worried the town’s residents.

A group of citizens led by Gordon Aistrope, Charles Eastburn, Tom Louden, Scott Jordan, Paul Madden, Bill Whitney and John Morrissey as legal counsel sought to steer the county into calm waters by forming the Greater Jefferson County Foundation in 1975, which would support local scholarships and community grants. Morrissey was in the audience Tuesday, and he was one of three ex-officio members to receive special recognition during remarks by former board member Tammy Dunbar.

Dunbar said Morrissey’s name was “synonymous with integrity and dedication,” and that his strategic and thoughtful decisions led to the stable health of the organization. She also recognized the contributions of Dr. William Baumann, also present, whose tenure on the board was marked by his “generosity in thought and action,” and that he never lost sight of the importance of helping kids. Lastly, she thanked Dave Neff for his service on the board, which began in 1977. Dunbar said everyone can “sense his passion and love for anything that involves Jefferson County.” She said the contributions of these three ex-officio members can be measured by all the lives they’ve touched.

“We’re better because of your service,” Dunbar said.

Eastburn also announced the creation of a new scholarship for the 2026 disbursement period, named in honor of Dr. Stephen Van Tasell, who was in attendance Tuesday. Van Tasell practiced dentistry in Fairfield for nearly 40 years, and the Van Tasell Scholarship will go to a Fairfield or Pekin senior majoring in a medical field.

The crowd inside the expo center also heard remarks from Fairfield High School alumna Corynn Klehm, daughter of Cory and Shawn Klehm, who spoke about how receiving a scholarship from the foundation is assisting her in her career goals, which has included a master’s degree in biomedical science at Iowa State University. She said the scholarship has fostered a love of education in her, and she hopes to pass along that love when she becomes an educator after graduation.

Kara Waugh, former board member and past president, spoke about how the foundation is making a major commitment to support the new Fairfield fire station, and that Tuesday’s ceremony was a great time to celebrate the foundation’s volunteers and the grants that will enable decades worth of other projects, too.

Vice President Matt Eakins and Grant Committee member Dr. Ray Woody presented grants to 26 organizations that evening, which received a combined $252,000. Since it began awarding grants in 1999, the foundation has awarded over $3.6 million. The recipients and the projects being funded for the following year are as follows:

Fairfield Fire Station – First year pledge fulfillment

Camp Courageous – Annual disbursement, per will of Charlotte Hammans

Band Aides of Fairfield Community School District – Purchase new headgear and plumes for marching band

Batavia Volunteer Fire Department – AED, hose nozzles, hoses, boots, batteries, etc.

Carry On Bags – Food purchase for weekends for school children

Community Child Care – Fire alarm system upgrade

Evergreen Cemetery – Purchase assistance for new backhoe

Fairfield Arts & Convention Center – Event sponsorship

Fairfield Area Development Foundation – Central Park Christmas Holiday Décor updates and repair

Fairfield Community Center – Replace ADA front doors

Fairfield Police Department – Assistance for K-9 officer

Fairfield Public Library – Microfilm digitization of historical newspaper records