Eight counties | 36 cities | one region

ST. JAMES—John F. Hodge St. James High School senior Samantha Berkelman was one of two recipients of a $500 scholarship for the Richard and Jeanne Cavender Scholarship for Public Service. The Cavenders presented the award to Berkelman during the senior award ceremony on May 18. Pictured (from left) are Jeanne Cavender, Berkelman and Richard Cavender. The Cavenders established the scholarship through the Meramec Regional Community Foundation (MRCF) and Community Foundation of the Ozarks (CFO).

MRCF is an outgrowth of the Meramec Regional Planning Commission (MRPC) and is an affiliate of 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 MRPC. Wayne Parry, a Rolla banker, serves as MRCF’s chairman.

Currently, MRCF has 49 funds totaling nearly $668,000.

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, collaboration 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 $259 million in assets.

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 24, 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.