Eight counties | 36 cities | one region

ST. JAMES—Vicki Lange of Linn was elected as chairman for the Meramec Regional Community Foundation (MRCF). Lange works for Three Rivers Electric Cooperative as a staff assistant to the department managers and the Board of Directors as well as coordinator for the Three Rivers’ Helping Hands Community Foundation.

Originally from St. Louis, Lange and her family moved to Osage County right after she started high school. She graduated from Linn R-2 High School and then attended Linn Technical College (now State Technical College of Missouri) where she graduated with an associate’s degree in electronics. After graduating college, she joined Three Rivers Electric Cooperative where she worked in the member services department for 28 years before moving into her current position.

Lange is dedicated to her community and the communities in the Meramec Region. “I’m looking forward to working with the other MRCF board members to help our communities where needed,” Lange said.

MRCF is an outgrowth of the Meramec Regional Planning Commission (MRPC) and is an affiliate of Community Foundation of the Ozarks (CFO) in Springfield. The regional affiliate was formed in 2010. Its 12-member board includes representation from each of the eight Meramec counties and from Meramec Regional Planning Commission (MRPC).

Currently, MRCF has 55 funds totaling near $1,114,626.

CFO is a public foundation serving the Missouri Ozarks. The foundation’s mission is to enhance the quality of life in the region through resource development, community grant-making, collaborations and public leadership. Formed in 1973, CFO has since grown to include 49 affiliate community foundations and more than 2,600 charitable funds totaling approximately $266 million in assets, as of June 30, 2017.

MRPC, in addition to establishing the regional foundation, provides staff support to MRCF.

Formed in 1969, MRPC is a voluntary council of governments serving Crawford, Dent, Gasconade, Maries, Osage, Phelps, Pulaski and Washington counties and their respective cities. A professional staff of 23, directed by the MRPC board, offers technical assistance and services, such as grant preparation and administration, housing assistance, transportation planning, environmental planning, ordinance codification, business loans and other services to member communities.

To keep up with the latest MRPC news and events, visit the MRPC website at www.meramecregion.org or on Facebook at www.facebook.com/meramecregion