Eight counties | 36 cities | one region

ST. JAMES—Meramec Regional Community Foundation (MRCF) awarded Caledonia Community Foundation a $250 grant for its village park renovation project. This year, the MRCF board reviewed a total of 21 grant applications requesting a total of $5,500 and representing projects in Crawford, Dent, Gasconade, Maries, Osage, Phelps, Pulaski and Washington counties. Caledonia Community Foundation was one of six projects selected for funding.

The Caledonia Community Foundation, Inc. was created in May 2012 by current Caledonia Mayor John Robinson, III, with the mission of providing cultural, educational, health and wellness, historical, arts–related events, and in a broader sense assist the Bellevue Valley area by enhancing the arts and wellness activities affecting the quality of life in the community.  The foundation is an IRS tax-exempt 170 (b) eligible charity.  Through their collaborative efforts, the Foundation and the Caledonia Village Board of Trustees are making some enhancements and improvements to the Village of Caledonia Park and surrounding area of the Park. Through generous donations to the park fund, holding the annual Miss Bellevue Valley contests and other private donations, the local board is upgrading electric capacity in the Red Barn and park area and working on new playground equipment that is geared toward wellness and safety for the youth and picnic tables where the community can enjoy the park area. Future plans are for a walking path around the outline of the park.

“The Caledonia Community Foundation, Inc. applied for the MRCF grant to use as part of the enhancements project,” Robinson said. “This will be an ongoing project to keep the park area clean, accessible and safe for everyone to use. It’s fun to work with community leaders and come up with ways to help enrich and enjoy our local community. If we all work together from planning to implementation, everyone feels a part of the whole process.”

Other recipients, receiving $250, include:

• The Ya Ya’s of Belle in Maries County for park and arena improvements,
• Art Works on Main in Owensville for classroom renovations,
• Dent County Community Foundation for clean-up and beautification projects,
• University of Missouri Extension – Crawford County for an artist and farmer rendezvous project, and
• CASA of South Central Missouri for a recruitment event in Maries County.

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 MRPC. Vicki Lange of Osage County serves as president of MRCF.

Currently, MRCF has 59 funds totaling over $1.39 million.

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 3,200 charitable funds totaling approximately $285 million in assets, as of June 30, 2017.

MRPC, in addition to establishing the regional foundation and providing the initial investment to create a grant program, 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.

Anyone wishing to make a donation to MRCF for its grant making efforts or interested in establishing their own fund can contact Maria Bancroft at MRCF at mbancroft@meramecregion.org or by phone at 573-265-2993 Ext. 114.

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/.

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Cutline: Caledonia Community Foundation Chairman John Robinson III accepts the ‘big’ check and the real check from MRCF board member Cindy Merx and MRCF staff liaison Maria Bancroft of MRPC. MRPC provides staffing support for MRCF.