ECCF in the News

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ECCF in the News:

 

ECCF Continues to Grow...

From art and culture, youth activities, historical enhancement, health and senior services, the Board of Directors of the Edgar County Community Foundation strive to put your thought and deeds to good work.

This past year has been an exciting one for all the residents of Edgar County. The Foundation has provided assistance with libraries, youth activities, playground equipment, sponsored pro-active luncheons, educational scholarship and senior support programs.

It is because of you, the positive focused individuals and groups of our county that the Edgar County Community Foundation Directors continues to represent your desires. Your input and awareness continues to be an inspiration to all.

As this successful year ends we all must reflect on how we can continue to provide the quality of life experiences needed for our citizens of Edgar County. Our blessings continue to grow and we must take the time and opportunity to show our continued good fortune.

The Edgar County Community Foundation stands ready to assist you with your desires to help raise the standards of our community. Local expertise, conservative management, and a wide variety of funding opportunities are provided to best fit your desires. Like the old saying, "a dime given is a dollar retrieved in good will with blessings to the donor."

Presently we stand at the threshold of opportunity for the citizens of Edgar County. With a pledged match of $100,000 to the good people of Edgar County, the doors of assistance can open to greater advantages for all.

- Your friends from the Edgar County Community Foundation

Foundation Footnotes: April 2007

The Edgar County Foundation continues to grow and expand opportunities for the citizens of Edgar County. As the foundation collaborates with positive organizations in the county area, it maintains the promise to: Share the concerns and needs of today, to seek solutions for the future, to build a steadfast tomorrow, and to find strength in unity.

To better assist the residents of Edgar County, the Foundation has established a new website for the consensus of its citizens. This website www.eccfdn.org will furnish information and answers to questions sought by the residents of Edgar County. Information, with donor support and opportunities for the success of sharing, is provided. Contributions for needed activities, services or facilities for the growth and benefit of Edgar County citizens is supported with leadership and knowledge.

The Edgar County Foundation recently was represented in Springfield at the Alliance of Illinois Foundations and took an active role in the continued development for downstate foundation groups. Through networking with area and statewide foundations, a new Midwest Foundation Conference Venture was formed. This will give strength and opportunity for our local foundation to expand and add support for the citizens of Edgar County.

For further information please locate us at www.eccfdn.org for future positive activities sponsored by the Edgar County Community Foundation.

Foundation Footnotes

The 2006-year has been an outstanding year for the Edgar County Community Foundation. Highlighted with many activities, the Foundation has taken on an expanded role with community leaders to enhance the quality of life for the citizens of Edgar County. Recently confirmed by official notification, The Edgar County Community Foundation is an active member of the Donors Forum of Chicago. Additionally, the National Council of Foundations cited the ECCF as an active, participating member. Through these memberships and associations of other foundations, the ECCF will continue to expand its ability to seek out and develop funding that will enhance the Edgar County community.

Recently the Foundation members attended a seminar presented by prominent estate attorney David Frisse. During the seminar ECCF members were made aware of the many new aspects our community holds for spectacular stewardship. The seminar highlighted the many opportunities a vast number of our citizens have to support health issues, educational development, the enrichment of the arts, and many growing social issues. With the support of many people in the Edgar County community, the Foundation can continue to enhance the positive programs in the county area as well as establish new endeavors.

As always the Foundation continues to work closely with many area groups by collaborating with other local and area foundations to expand more benefits to Edgar County. The directors of the Edgar County Community Foundation openly seek the advice and participation from Edgar County citizens who have an interest for improving the well being of its people. From batters to books, from 4-H to water, the Foundation works diligently to support its motto, "For Good, Forever, For Edgar County." For more information contact Chris Eldredge, Pat Bell, Warren Sperry or any ECCF director.

4-H Clover "Good Luck" for Edgar County Foundation

Good fortune has smiled upon the Edgar County Foundation with their assistance to the 4-H group of Edgar County. Youth and adults from all areas of Edgar County participate in this worthwhile organization. The Edgar County Foundation recognizes the positive development this group brings to the citizens of our community. Positive people doing good things for good people for the right reasons are the mandates of the Edgar County Foundation. If you would like to be a part of the "platform of growth" and support those activities in your community with a tax-exempt contribution, please see any Foundation member or contact Chris Eldredge, Pat Bell or Rob Anderson.

Foundation Establishes Position

The Edgar County Community Foundation established a new position to further insure the needs of the citizens of Edgar County are met. The Edgar County Foundation works to enhance the quality of life of the citizens of Edgar County by identifying and addressing current and long range county goals and needs. The Foundation believes that through conservative, goal-minded (investment) approaches they may continue to receive (raise), manage, and distribute funds for charitable purposes in the areas of civic, cultural, health, education and social services for ALL the residents of Edgar County.

The Foundation is a platform for growth in Edgar County. By providing services, local expertise, and community leadership the Foundation can act as a catalyst for private, individual, corporate, business, organizational, and estate giving for benefits to both the donor and recipients. Through the works of the Foundation donors and their families can witness the positive growth of their commitment to the people of Edgar County.

The new position of development manager will assist in creating public awareness, opportunities, and expansion of services, local expertise, and individual leadership potential for the county. There is no individual or group too small or too large to be part of the Foundation's platform for growth. President, Chris Eldredge and the members of the foundation welcome ALL the citizens of Edgar County to participate in the continued development of this positive organization.

Foundation Footnotes: "For Good, Forever, For Edgar County"

Beacon New Article, 10/05/2006 - - The Edgar County Community Foundation continues to expand its horizons for the people of the county, As the Foundation develops its communication, collaboration, and knowledge base with the National Council of Foundations, The Alliance of Illinois Foundations, The Lumpkin Foundation, and now the Donors Forum of Chicago, opportunity and benefits for Edgar County citizens continue to grow.

By creating a "Platform for Success," the foundation provides a variety of opportunities to donors through tax benefits, collaborative resources, as well as the privileges of interacting with the development of their gift with the surrounding community. Whether the gift is placed in an unrestricted fund, field of interest, donor advised, or designated specific fund, the opportunities and benefits for both the donor and recipient will continue for years. By making a gift to the foundation, the donor is assured civic-minded leaders using local expertise for the benefits so desired will manage their contribution effectively.

The ECCF receives gifts and grant matches of all sizes from individuals, families, businesses, organizations, corporations, and other collaborative foundations. These gifts may be in the form of cash, stocks and securities, real estate, insurance polices, trusts, or gifts in kind. All proceeds go to the benefit of programs that will assure the quality of life, support the arts, and develop services for education from birth to adulthood. The Foundation continually seeks the aid and support of local leaders and patrons for the direction of both short and long tern goals.

Meeting regularly on a monthly basis the Foundation evaluates, develops, md maintains projects and grants that benefit the Edgar County community. With Officers Chris Eldredge, Pat Bell, and Robert Anderson along with board members Harry Frost, Joe Hasler, Tom Hebermhel, Carolyn Brown Hodge, Ned Jenison, Bob Morgan, Mary Ann Pearman, Warren Sperry, David Sullivan, David Wegner, and Charlie Willis, the Foundation has provided assistance with educational endeavors, scholarship, memorials, 4-H, literacy activities, Faith in Action, E.C.H.O., libraries, arts, family services, and many other agencies that support Edgar county citizens.

For further information or a presentation regarding the Foundation, please contact Warren Sperry, Project Manager, Harry Frost Grant coordinator, or any board member.

Edgar County Foundation Expands Board of Directors

Beacon New Article - -The Edgar County Community Foundation has expanded its board of directors to represent a greater cross-section of the community according to Foundation President Greg Curl. However the basic mission of the Foundation to improve the facilities, education and quality of life for the citizens of Edgar County - remains the focus as it was when the Foundation was established seven years ago.

Founding trustees of the organization were Paris businessmen Joe Hasler, Bob Morgan and Charles Willis. This summer, the board was expanded to include Chris Eldredge, Harry Frost, Tom Hebermehl, Carolyn Brown Hodge, Ned Jenison. Mary Ann Pearman, Warren Sperry, David Sullivan and Dr. David Wegner.

Curl, president of the Citizens National Bank of Paris, serves as board president. Paris CPA Pat Bell is treasurer, and Paris attorney Rob Anderson serves as secretary.

Curl explained that the Foundation was created to serve as a conservative, professional, charitable non-profit organization which is funded by private contributions from donors who wish to have these assets used for the benefit of the area, but under local control and with proper oversight.

Since its creation, the Foundation has approved more than 55 grants for local projects or activities which qualify under the mission objectives. These have ranged from as much as $11,000 to as small as $45, often in partnership with other organizations or fund sources.

The Foundation also has underwritten research and studies on issues pertaining to the quality of life in the community. A specific example, Curl mentioned, was preparation of a water quality study and analysis between potential groundwater sources and the use of Twin Lakes as a surface water source for the City of Paris water utility.

Results of this study were shared with the Paris City Council as data or its planning for the new water treatment plant.The expansion of the Foundation board has made possible the creation of four operating committees, Curl said. These are Grants management, Finance, Strategic Planning, and Marketing.

The board currently meets at 4:30 pm on the third Monday of the month at the conference room of the Edgar County Bank & Trust.

Establish Community Foundation For Long Range Support of Area

Beacon-News, May 27, 1994 - - The future of Paris found a friend Thursday with the announcement of a new philanthropic foundation.

The Greater Edgar County Community Foundation, Inc., was introduced at a reception held at Sycamore Hills for representatives from the city's businesses and professional community. The Foundation, formed more than a year ago, has been recognized as a public charitable not-for-profit organization by the Internal Revenue Service to qualify for tax advantages to donors.

The Foundation will be managed by three directors including Joe Hasler, chairman of the board of directors of Illinois Cereal Mills, Inc.; Robert Morgan, Paris industrialist and chairman of the board of the Edgar County Bank & Trust Co.; and Charles Willis, retired Paris industrialist.

Officers of the Foundation are President Greg Curl, president of the Citizen's National Bank of Paris; secretary Kelly Norton, attorney with the firm of Kreckman & Associates; and treasurer Pat Bell, certified public accountant with the firm of Larsson, Woodyard & Henson. All officers and directors serve without compensation.

Hasler was master of ceremonies for the introductory program, and explained the primary purpose which led to formation of the Foundation. He said it will serve as a locally-managed organization which is available for philanthropic giving to the benefit of the entire community by individuals, estates or businesses.

"Although these are many worth while organizations meeting specific needs in the community, there has been no conservative, professional vehicle to benefit the overall community," Hasler explained. As a result, many locally-earned assets have been bequeathed in the past to charities and foundations outside the Paris area.

"The community to which we owe prosperity is left wanting," Hasler said. "We determined to provide a means to correct this omission."

As capital bequests accumulate in future years, earned income from the principal will be available to be granted to other charitable services in the community, whatever the paramount needs of the community are at the time, Hasler explained. He pointed out this is a long term project but that at a point some years in the future will be a major benefit to all the citizens of the Paris-Edgar County area.

Possible support in the future, as envisioned in remarks offered by directors Morgan and Willis, could include such projects as revitalization of the central business area to improve the local economy, or establishment and support of a community center - theatre auditorium.

The officers also spoke briefly, discussing specifics of the organization and financial management of the Foundation.

Brochures describing the purpose and operation of the Foundation are available at local financial institutions and attorneys' offices. The Foundation is now receiving contributions to its capital fund, and encourages the broadest possible public base of support, Hasler said.

For Good, Forever, For Edgar County
Edgar County Community Foundation, Inc.
P.O. Box 400 or 177 W. Wood Street
Paris, IL 61944
(217) 465-4154
inquiry@eccfdn.org

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