Jefferson County foundation gives over $250K in grants

The Greater Jefferson County Foundation held its annual grant awards ceremony Thursday night at the Fairfield Arts & Convention Center, where it handed out more than a quarter of a million dollars to local organizations.

The grant committees met at the end of June year to review 44 grant applications. The criteria included the number of people in the Jefferson County community who would benefit from the grant project, and the sustainability and viability of the project. Grant requests totaled $735,205.27. The foundation awarded more than $250,000 to 22 Jefferson County organizations.

Joe Garretson, the Jefferson County area Boy Scout leader, addressed the crowd gathered at the arts center Thursday to share the positive impact the Greater Jefferson County Foundation’s grants have had on the local scout organizations. Garretson noted that the only remaining Girl Scout cabin in the state is at Waterworks Park in Fairfield, and grant funds from the foundation have enabled the Scouts to continue needed maintenance on the building.

Grant recipients

The 22 Jefferson County organizations that received funds, and how they will use the money, are as follows:

Arc of Jefferson & Nearby Counties: Annual disbursement according to the Charlotte Hammans will.

Jefferson County Kids: Second-year pledge fulfillment.

Batavia Volunteer Fire Department: to replace fittings, valves, hoses and nozzles.

Carnegie Museum Foundation: new flagpole and second phase building repair.

City of Fairfield: brick pavers for Central Park picnic table project.

City of Lockridge: replace two slides at Lockridge City Park.

Community Child Care: replace three rooms of flooring.

Evergreen Cemetery: new mower for cemetery maintenance.

Fairfield Fire Department: replace emergency medical supplies.

FairField Productions: production costs for “History of Fairfield project.

Fairfield First Fridays Art Walk: new tents, sound equipment and carriage rides for art walk.

Glasgow Cemetery: repair/reset pioneer headstones.

Jefferson County Trails: re-rock 5 miles of Loop Trail.

Lockridge Fire & Rescue: tank, hose, Nomex (flame-resistant textile) and gloves.

Locust Grove Township: repair 12 headstones in pioneer cemetery

Maasdam Barns: build a vintage playground.

Singing Cedars School: new boiler.

Supporters of Fairfield Arts & Convention Center: Dell computers and Quick Books upgrades.

Victory No. 8 School: new roof.

Family Crisis Center: rent for a safe house in Jefferson County.

Fairfield Community School District: Leader in Me Training.

Food Bank of Iowa: purchase food for area food banks/pantries.

Iowa Legal Aid: prorated share of expenses for legal assistance for Jefferson County residents.

Jefferson County Sheriff’s Office: National School Resource Officer Association (NASRO) Training.

Southeast Iowa Blues Society: Concert Series Sponsorship.

History

The Greater Jefferson County Foundation began in 1975 with proceeds of $65,000 from the sale of the Bethany Home. With donations during the past 45 years, the assets of the foundation have grown to over $7 million.

The first grant awards ceremony was held in 2010, where the foundation awarded a little over $70,000 to Jefferson County organizations. The foundation is an affiliate of the Community Foundation of Greater Des Moines, which holds an Endowment and Pass-through Fund using gambling money and disburses a portion of this annually to add to the, oundation’s coffers for grant disbursement.

The foundation has a board of directors with 15 members, each board member serves two three-year terms and serves on two committees. The committees are: Finance, Scholarship, Grant, Public Relations, Nominations and Bylaws.

The board members are: Frank Redeker (president), Kathy Winkelman (vice president), Sim Buckley (treasurer), Ashley Manning (executive secretary), Lori Stever, Kara Waugh, Jessica Jones, Joan Fulton, Peggy Mottet, Ron Haines, Justin Engwall, Matt Eakins, Dr. Ray Woody, Dale Sue Glass and Lucas Helling. Three e-officio officers include: Dave Neff for public relations, John Morrissey for legal counsel and Dr. William Baumann for finance.

Information regarding the foundation may be found on the website at www.greaterjeffersoncountyfoundation.org.