Greetings Noah!

Transitions abound this time of year, and your local community foundation is no exception. As temperatures begin to rise, schools let out, and the grass grows higher, we welcome the shift from spring to summer as a reminder of the cyclical nature of our work together.

This month, dedicated members of our Grantmaking Committee will again give their time and talents to review 2nd Quarter applications, standing in for donors to match their charitable wishes with proposals from nonprofits to benefit our community. Come July, we’ll begin the process again with 3rd Quarter applications and another mix of new and experienced volunteers.

Over the spring months, students eagerly instruct us where to send their scholarship checks, which will soon find their way to colleges, universities, and technical schools across the country in time for fall classes. Even our offices will undergo a bit of a transformation next month while we do some much needed spring cleaning and upgrades to better serve our community.

Read on for more highlights of the people and projects that continue to engage us all in the work of Building Community from one season to the next.

We're thrilled to announce that funds established by our generous donors made over $350,000 in scholarships possible this year. Congratulations to the graduating Class of 2024! Click here or on the image below for a closer look at this year's recipients and the list of scholarships awarded by the Foundation.

2023 Polk County High School Farm Intern Grace Hagan

Polk County Middle School Language Arts teacher Jeanne Ferran recently reported back to the Foundation about her educational travel experience in the Yukon, which was funded through a Priscilla & Ellis D. Slater Excellence in Teaching Award. Following in the footsteps (and dogsled tracks) of Jack London, Ms. Ferran explored themes of Call of the Wild and other adventure classics that she teaches, as well as integrating her experiences into creative learning units with students before, during, and after her travels.

"To say that this trip rejuvenated my teaching practice would be an understatement. This was an absolutely wonderful experience that not only affected my classroom experience, it fundamentally changed my life experience. I am beyond grateful for the chance to experience my week in Canada, and I HIGHLY recommend a trip to the Yukon!"

In 2019, the Foundation was thrilled to award a matching grant to the Polk County Parks and Recreation Department to leverage significant state and other funds in creating a new trail system on nearly 600 acres at Little White Oak Mountain. Today, residents are enjoying the first phase of a major expansion of the Polk County Recreation Complex in Mill Spring with a new 1-mile biking and hiking trail.

Visit the County's PolkTrails website to learn more about this and other trails in our community. See you out there!

Photos courtesy of Community Trail Design

The Foundation will be temporarily closed for upgrades to better serve our community beginning June 3. Staff will be working remotely but can easily be reached by email and are available for offsite appointments. We will continue to receive mail and deliveries may be made to our office by using the drop slot in our front door.

Thank you for your patience as we complete the renovations to our facilities. We look forward to welcoming community members to our new space in July and continuing our work together!