For Giving, For Good, For Benton

In anticipation for National Volunteer Month, the Foundation has begun preparing for the 2nd Annual Helping Hands Awards and a campaign about the importance of volunteering in your community.  Nonprofits from around Benton County are encouraged to nominate their top volunteer for the 2010 Helping Hands Awards…it’s a great way to give them a pat on the back for all their hard work.

In addition, the Foundation would like to compile a listing of all area organizations that not only includes a little about the services they offer, but also what volunteer needs they have.  For more information about these programs contact the Foundation or check our website for more info!

The Foundation invites women of all ages in the community to join us for Girl’s Night Out this Thursday, February 4th.  We’ll enjoy the movie Shall We Dance in the historic Fowler Theatre at 7 pm.  Along with spending a great evening with your friends and family, you’ll also be introduced to The Cookie Jar…a women’s giving circle the Foundation has just launched. 

Did I mention the entire evening was free??  Hope to see you on Thursday!

The Benton Community Foundation Board of Directors is pleased to announce that through the close of 2009 we will be offering a match on your donations…enabling you to make an even bigger impact in your community.

Any gift of $1,000 or more to a permanently endowed fund at the Foundation will qualify for a match of 50 cents for every dollar donated.

     Ex: If a donor gives $2,000, the Foundation will add an additional $1,000 to the fund of the donor’s choice.

This match offer will expire on December 31, 2009 or when the match allotment is fully expended, whichever occurs first.  No more than $5,000 match will be allocated to any one donor.  Donations will be accepted in the form of cash or publicly-traded securities.

Donors contributing $5,000 or more may elect to create a new endowment fund supporting the charitable interest of their choice.

For more information, please contact Ashley Bice, Executive Director at 765.884.8022 or via email to ashley@bentoncf.org.

Benton Community Foundation has just released the 2010 Scholarship Application on the web at www.bentoncf.org.  The application can be downloaded from the Scholarship Section of the website or a printed copy may be obtained from the Foundation office.

Any Benton Central Senior and/or Benton County resident who will be pursuing post-secondary education in 2010 is encouraged to visit the website to learn more about the programs available and download the application.  The Foundation offers a wide variety of programs for all degree/certificate types; many programs are open to non-traditional students in addition to graduating seniors.

Applications are due to the Foundation office by 4:00 p.m. on Tuesday, January 26^th, 2010.  For more information about the scholarship program contact Executive Director Ashley Bice at 765.884.8022 or via email at ashley@bentoncf.org.

Are you one of the 60% of Americans who do not have a will? 

Every adult, regardless of age or amount of wealth, should have a will.  Die without one, and the state decides who gets what…including your young children!

In conjunction with the Oxford Hometown Competitiveness Program, Benton Community Foundation is spending the month of October advocating for the importance of wills.  The primary purposes of a will include:

• Determine how your assets will be distributed among family, friends and charitable organizations you support.
• Selecting someone you trust to administer your estate.
• Make funeral arrangements.
• Appoint guardians for minor children.
• Establishing a trust for minor or disabled children.

 Free Guide to Wills and Trusts

Contact Benton Community Foundation today for your free Guide to Wills and Trusts.  This comprehensive workbook will walk you through nearly every step of the will planning process, ensuring the preparation of the will is a breeze.  Call us at 765.884.8022 or visit our website at www.bentoncf.org to download your free copy today…tomorrow may be too late!

The Board of Directors have just announced the 2009 Community Grant Awards.  Twelve organization competed for a pot of $25,000.  In the end, the Foundation made the following grants:

-Boswell-Grant Twp. Vol. Fire Dept ($4,900); turn-out gear and blue lights

-Town of Ambia Park Dept ($1,000); mulch for playground

-Benton County Head Start ($2,500); playground upgrades

-Benton EELS Swim Team ($170); megaphone w/ starter/whistle

-Boswell Baseball-Softball Association ($5,000); replace field backstop

-Town of Oxford ($10,000); pavement improvements at Oxford Fire Station

-Boswell Happy Seniors ($970); refrigerator/freezer for Senior Center

Congratulations to all those who were awarded grants.  We cannot thank the volunteers and staff of all the organization who submitted applications for the time and talent they give to their causes!

In early 2003, Mr. Orlin Highland, a former resident of Fowler, donated multiple lots at the corner of Jefferson and 2nd St in Fowler to the Foundation.  Given during a period of time when the Lilly Endowment was offering a match for funds raised by the Foundation, we were able to double the value of his gift. 

The lots, owned by the Foundation and leased to the Town of Fowler, have now been designated (long overdue) as Highland Park.  Mr. Highland wished to honor the memory of his deceased wife, Marge, with this beautiful green space in our community.  Many thanks to Mr. Highland and all of the donors who have generously contributed to the Foundation over the last ten years!

Top (l to r): Melissa Robertson and Sarah Robinson; Middle: Mitchell Borgman, Miles Sparenberg, Kayla Shoaf, Katie Girardier, Miranda McCormack, Emily Sheetz, Tyler Schluttenhofer, Olivia Sheetz, Alysha Wetli, Sara Schellenberger, Travis Kepner; Front: Heather Sarles, Colin Pritchett, Lindsey Keiser, Mallory Nelson, Chad Kepner, Alyshia Harvey, Morgan Flook, Christa Lawson, Faith Metzinger, Ethan Myers, Elizabeth Wiley and Sara Owens. Not pictured: Abbie Tolen

Over 30 Foundation scholarship recipients and volunteers joined together on Thursday, August 6th for the 1st Annual Pay It Forward Day.  The group worked all afternoon at Old Academy Park, in Oxford, painting, staining, clearing debris and trash and editing contact information for the Community Resource Guide.  It was a great day for the event and we had an awesome turnout!  Thanks to everyone who helped Pay It Forward…the park looks great!

BCF received 12 applications from local nonprofits for our 2009 Community Grant Cycle.  The requests exceeded over $90,000.  The Grant Selection Committe and BCF Board will certainly have their work cut out for them to widdle the requests down to the funds we have available for distribution this year.  Many thanks to all of the organizations who took the time to submit a request this year!

As the Benton County Fair has come to a close, we’d like to take this opportunity to congratulate two BCF Scholarship recipients who received awards during the pageant.

-Faith Metzinger (Lilly ‘08) was crowned 1st Runner-Up and won the evening gown portion of the program.

-Melissa Robertson (Ellis ‘08) won the Professional Wear competition.

Our congrats to each of these girls and Miss Benton County 2009 Mary Probasco.