Finley River Community Foundation
Contact Information:
P.O. Box 1176
Ozark, MO 65721
Established May 17, 2001
Board of Governors:
Janis Creek, President • Jackie Barger, Vice President • Randy Mitchum, Treasurer • Margie Beadles, Secretary • Dr. Cindy Baker • Brian Cathey • Carole and Clifton Collins • Elise Crain • Susan Haralson • Jana Humble • Joseph L. LaBarge Jr. • Karen Miller • John Nixon • Sarah Orr • Kathryn Owens • Debbie Phillips • Dale and Rachel Robertson • Tom Tobin • John Torgerson • Dr. Mark Woods
For additional information, please contact Janis Creek, President, at (417) 224-0346
Total Assets (as of 3/31/13): $1,686,824
News and Updates
Finley Awards Collaboration a Good Fit for FRCF, Ozark Chamber
One major initiative of the Finley River Community Foundation in recent years has been its involvement with the Ozark Area Chamber of Commerce and the annual Community Awards Banquet. This year the FRCF gave grants to four Ozark R-VI educators as part of the festivities; each honoree received a $100 stipend to go to the charity of his or her choice. Pictured from left are: Dana Murfin, Volunteer of the year; Laura Harris, Secondary Teacher of the Year; Judy DeWitt, School Staff Person of the year; Janis Creek, FRCF board president; and Paula Young, Helen Hawkins Award. All Finley Award winners are nominated by their peers except the Citizen of the Year, which comes from the community. All awards are selected by independent committees.
FRCF Completes Hunger Challenge
Christian County’s Least of These food pantry received much-needed new funding in November 2011, thanks to more than $6,700 raised by the Finley River Community Foundation. You can read more about the FRCF’s success at the Christian County Headliner News website.
2011: A Year of Milestones
FRCF board members Karen Miller and Margie Beadles welcome guests at the Foundation’s 10th anniversary celebration in September (the official anniversary date was in May).
The Finley River Community Foundation lived up to its reputation in 2011 as one of the CFO’s most active affiliates with a year of milestones and awards:
• FRCF reached the milestone of $1 million total assets earlier this year, celebrating with a flash-mob style get-together on the historic Ozark square. One of just 14 affiliates to reach the number, the FRCF was awarded a $500 unrestricted grant by the CFO to commemorate the feat.
• The FRCF also received a CFO President’s Grant — this one for $2,500 — for winning the Legacy Leadership Challenge, which ended in June. In the challenge, CFO affiliates were encouraged to promote membership among their boards and in their communities for their Legacy Societies of donors who have made the decision to give back to their communities through bequests or estates. The FRCF had 100 percent participation among its board members. A portion of the $2,500 discretionary grant went to the local food pantry in the Ozarks Hunger Challenge.
• And though the milestone wasn’t celebrated until late September with a gorgeous reception, the Finley River Community Foundation turned 10 years old in May.
As if that weren’t enough for one year, the FRCF had other accomplishments as well:
• The Finley River Community Foundation held its first scholarship reception in May for students receiving the scholarships, and their parents. There were several scholarship donors in attendance who enjoyed visiting with the recipients.
• Janis Creek replaced Sarah Adams-Orr as President of the FRCF late in FY11. And longtime Board Member and Ozark Youth Empowerment Project sponsor Karen Miller joined the CFO Board of Directors for the new fiscal year that began in July.
Read more about the Finley River Community Foundation here.
Funds and Grantmaking
Existing Funds:
E. Dean and Mary Adams Fund (unrestricted)
Ryan Capps Memorial Scholarship Fund
Care to Learn – Ozark Fund
Christian County Domestic Violence Fund
Friends of the Christian County Museum Fund
Christian County Child Welfare Advisory Committee Fund
Christian County Historical Society Fund
Christian County Historical Society Endowment Fund
City of Ozark Employees Fund
Clifton and Carole Collins Fund (donor advised)
Cornerstone Capacity Building Fund
Cosmopolitan Club of Ozark GFWC Fund
County Officer Support Team (COST) Fund
Bill Cox Memorial Scholarship Fund
M. Elise Crain Fund
Madeline Endicott Memorial Fund
Equi-Librium Therapy Center Fund
Exchange Bank Scholarship Fund
Finley River Administrative Endowment Fund
Finley River Community Foundation Unrestricted Fund
Finley River Hunger Challenge Fund
Friends of the Christian County Library Fund
Chlorene Hedgpeth Memorial Fund
Neal and Betty Grubaugh Scholarship Fund for History Majors
Hanks-Wilson Ozark High School Scholarship Fund
Daniel F. Hedgpeth Memorial Fund
Helping Hands of the Ozarks Fund
Helen Hawkins Scholarship Fund
Highlandville-Spokane Athletic Fund
Rayo Howard Capacity Building Fund for the Christian County Historical Society
Lauren’s Lamb Foundation
Least of These Hunger Challenge Fund
Lemmon Family Charitable Fund
Steven Lorenz Memorial Fund
Dennis Miller Memorial Fund
MRTF Endowment Fund
Neighbors Helping Neighbors Fund
John and Culah Nixon Family Foundation
Nixon Family and Community Fund
Mark & Sarah Orr Family Fund
Ozark Bank Fund
Ozark Boosters Club Fund
Ozark Class of 2009 Project Graduation Fund
Ozark Class of 2010 Project Graduation Fund
Ozark Class of 2011 Project Graduation Fund
Ozark Class of 2012 Project Graduation Fund
Ozark Class of 2013 Project Graduation Fund
Ozark Class of 2014 Project Graduation Fund
Ozark Day of Prayer Fund
Ozark High School Alumni Scholarship Fund
Ozark Main Street Endowment Fund
Ozark Parks Fund
Ozark Presbyterian Church Capital Improvement Fund
Ozark Presbyterian Church Endowment Fund
Ozark School District Foundation Fund
Ozark School Museum Fund
Phillips Family Fund
Josephine Plummer Memorial Scholarship Fund
Riverside Bridge Fund
Sandy Russell Memorial Scholarship for Ozark Public Schools Fund
Sparta R-III School Foundation Fund
Sparta R-III School Foundation Endowment Fund
The Matthew P. Stoelb Continuing the Journey Scholarship Fund
Women In Need Fund
Women In Need Endowment Fund
Youth Empowerment Project of Ozark Capacity Building Fund
Youth Empowerment Project of Ozark Endowment Fund
Legacy Society Members:
Dr. Cindy Baker
Jackie Barger
Margie Beadles
Brian Cathey
Carole Collins
Elise Crain
Janis Creek
Susan Haralson
Joseph L. LaBarge, Jr.
Karen Miller
Randy Mitchum
John Nixon
Mark & Sarah Orr
Kathryn Owens
Bill & Debbie Phillips
Dale & Rachel Robertson
Tom & Patti Tobin
John Torgerson
Mark Woods
Community Grants for Fiscal Year 2012
Care to Learn-Ozark grants for student needs, $57,543
Children’s Smile Center, hot-air balloon glow sponsorship, $500
Christian County Emergency Management, 40 weather alert radios, $600
Christian County Family Crisis Center, Neat Repeats-store improvements, $2,720
Children’s Smile Center, five custom crowns, $1,200
Least of These, $2,000
Women In Need, $1,148
Christian County Family Crisis Center, $1,555
Ozark Junior High School, choir sound equipment, $1,250
CTL-Ozark: YEP grant, Tigerpacs program, $250
Ozark Upper Elementary: YEP grant, outdoor classroom, $350
Ozark Upper Elementary: YEP grant, high-interest/low-level reading books, $100
Ozark South Elementary: YEP grant, classroom books, $100
Ozark East Elementary School: YEP grant, Rock Cart Kit for science lab, $350
Ozark High School: YEP grant , sheet music project, $250
Youth Empowerment Project of Ozark Endowment Fund, $2,000