Pheasant’s Forever Fund Receives Support

/in /by

A dream remains a dream until someone steps up to the plate and makes the dream come true.

How many of us take it for granted that we be hunting this fall? What if you were not here this fall? What if you physically could not get yourself to the woods and fields? Don’t you think it would be great if someone would lend a hand? That is exactly what we plan to do.

Local Pheasants Forever Chapter 630 has started an endowment fund that will be used to provide a safe and quality outdoor oriented adventure for youth with a life-threatening illness or a severely limiting physical condition. Not just bird hunting but also various hunting, fishing, camping, canoeing or other suitable and available outdoor event or activity. Candidates will be selected from Elk and surrounding counties. We want to make this a memorable event for the kids.

This is your chance to get involved. Please consider your tax deductable charitable donation to the Pheasants Forever Chapter 630 Youth Outdoor Fund. Don’t forget to ask your employer if they will match your donation to this cause. This would be great memorial to a hunting friend from the past. Pass this information on to another hunter.

The PF Youth Outdoor Fund will recognize Founding Corporate Sponsors for those donating $500+ and Founding Individual Sponsors for those donating $250+. The deadline for Founding donations has been extended to the fall Pheasants Forever Chapter 640 Banquet slated for September 11, 2010 at the Red Fern in Kersey, PA. The following businesses have already made commitments as Founding Corporate Sponsors; North Star Aggregates, Woodbed Corp, W&W and Sons Contractors, Veolia Environmental Services, Burkes Home Center, Comtec Mfg. Inc. , C/G Electrodes LLC and Elk County Tool and Die.
Anyone may send a charitable donate to this fund to help us reach our goal of $100,000. Send your check to the Elk County Community Foundation FBO PF Youth Outdoor Fund, 111 Erie Avenue, PO BOX 934, St. Marys, PA 15857. Contact Jane Bryndel for more information at janebryndel@msn.com.

Thank you for helping the kids!

Women Who Care Plans Annual Meeting

/in /by

Nancy Caskey, left and Connie Amendola on the right , members of the Women Who Care events committee, recently met to assemble door prize baskets for their up coming meeting. The group will be holding their 1st Annual Membership & Grant Awarding Dinner at LaValle’s Italian Garden at the Royal Inn, Ridgway, PA on September 23, 2010. There will be a special trio pasta dinner served family style including appetizers, door prizes, raffles, games, and a short presentation by the four applicants.

After dinner, voting by the membership will take place and the awarding of the grants will be announced. Any woman who wants to know more about this new group is welcome to join us at 5:30 PM and enjoy an evening with this exciting give away of the $12,000 grant awards. The awards will go to non profit agencies that provide programs and service to Women and their families through out Elk County.

Women Who Care presently is an organization of 97 voting members with its mission statement to strengthen our community by providing funds and assistance to issues that are important to women and families. Guests are welcome to attend. To make a reservation, contact the Elk County Foundation Office at 814–834-2125. You can also find out more about the from at www.elkcountyfoundation.com

ECCF is Awarded the PANO Seal of Excellence

/in /by

By Amy Cherry
Staff Writer for The Daily Press

2010 has proven to be a benchmark year for the Elk County Community Foundation. In addition to celebrating their 10th anniversary and $1 million awarded in grants, the Foundation has been awarded the Pennsylvania Association of Nonprofit Organizations (PANO) Seal of Excellence for successfully completing the Standards of Excellence certification program.

“I really think we’ve made an impact in the community,” said Paula Fritz-Eddy, Elk County Community Foundation executive director. “We’re becoming more recognizable. The board has done a superb job.”

On Friday afternoon, State Representative Matt Gabler (R-Elk/Clearfield) was on hand to present the foundation a framed certificate of achievement issued by PANO.

The Foundation voluntarily opened itself up to scrutiny by a jury of its peers who examined the ECCF for compliance with PANO’s standards.

Williams Medical Scholarship Awarded

/in /by

Recently, the Joseph A. Williams Medical Scholarship was awarded to Tim Vollmer of St. Marys, by the Elk County Community Foundation. Tim is the son of John and Patty Volmer and is pursuing a degree from the Lake Erie College of Osteopathic Medicine. He is a 2004 graduate of Elk County Catholic High School. This scholarship was named for Joseph A. Williams who had worked in the lumber industry for over 67 years. Mr. Williams was always interested in civic matters and he held leadership positions with numerous community organizations including Andrew Kaul Memorial Hospital.

Farmers National Bank Presents Check to ECCF

/in /by

Recently Famers National Bank presented a $2,500 check to the Elk County Community Foundation. These funds will be included in the Educational Improvement Tax Credit Program (EITC) which then will make grants available to area public schools to support innovative educational programs that do not fall within the typical academic program

The funds for these innovative programs are administered and distributed through the foundation, which has been designated to serve as an Educational Improvement Organization by the Pennsylvania Department of Community and Economic Development. In 2009, through the Educational Improvement Tax Credit Program and the Elk County Community Foundation, St. Marys, Johnsonburg and Ridgway Area School Districts were able to apply for grants for programming.

Ridgway Area School District Johnsonburg School District purchased a Smartboard, computer and projector for a classroom along with training for the teachers. Finally St. Marys School District purchased 7 Promethean Boards for the Middle school classrooms for the use of integrating technology, particularly the digital videos from Discover United Streaming.

Any entity authorized to conduct business in the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania and subject to certain taxes is eligible to apply to be involved with the EITC program. Tax credits are limited to 75 percent of the business’ contribution with a maximum of $100,000 annually. If a business agrees to make the same contribution for two consecutive years, it may receive a tax credit equal to 90 percent of its contribution.

Interested participants must submit a brief application to the DCED. The application can be found at www.inventpa.com. The foundation also has applications and further information available to assist with the business application process.