Community Foundation of the Ozarks

More than 30 regional arts’ leaders and elementary art teachers came together  on Saturday, Feb. 27th at the Creamery Arts Center in Springfield, Mo. to learn more about the Greater Ozarks Art Tour. The event, hosted by the Springfield Regional Arts Council (SRAC), featured an informational webinar for regional arts’ leaders in the morning and then provided a working lunch where art teachers and community leaders learned about SRAC’s regional programming opportunities.

The lunch premiered the new Vincent Van G.O.A.T. DVD which features five new artists from the Ozarks’ area. Vincent Van G.O.A.T. is a colorful goat sculpture partnered with an interactive computer program that features film clips of Ozarks’ artists.  Vincent is geared toward elementary-aged students, who are invited to climb on his back and learn about Ozarks’ art forms through kid-friendly computer software. This is the second DVD released for Vincent and was made possible by a generous grant from the Kirby Foundation.

Other offerings of the Greater Ozarks Art Tour include:

• Greater Ozarks Arts Tour Performance Series brings performance arts (voice, dance, instrumental, theatrical, literary) to rural schools and their respective communities.
• The Artist-in Residence Program is available to participating schools for a one-day program that includes a “mini-gallery” of the artist’s works, an assembly, work with individual classes, and the on-site production of an artistic piece that is presented to the school at the end of the day.
• Claymobile is a mobile ceramic education program.  Developed by Springfield Pottery, the Claymobile is a fully-stocked van that transports all materials needed for clay workshops—including the teachers!  Participation in the Claymobile program requires a 50% match at the local or school level.

SRAC is a partner of the Rural Schools Partnership as it works to enrich rural schools through the arts. For more information on the Greater Ozarks Art Tour, please call the SRAC at (417) 862-2787 or visit SpringfieldArts.org. For more information on the Rural Schools Partnership, please visit www.ruralschoolspartnership.org.

PHOTO: Leah Hamilton Jenkins (far left), executive director of the Springfield Regional Arts Council, talks with regional art teachers after lunch. Each attendee received a copy of both Vincent Van G.O.A.T. DVDs.

Convoy of Hope has joined the Community Foundation of the Ozarks’ Agency Partner program by establishing the Convoy of Hope Haiti Relief Fund. This fund was established to encourage communities throughout the Missouri Ozarks to participate in relief efforts by utilizing the network of CFO’s 41 affiliate community foundations.

“We know there are many local and national efforts for Haiti relief efforts,” stated Gary Funk, president of CFO.  “We see this as an additional option to help facilitate the relief efforts provided by Convoy of Hope, and we hope our established relationships in the Ozarks will promote giving to the critical services they provide for relief and recovery. We have partnerships with more than 320 non-profits in the Ozarks, and welcome this great new relationship with Convoy in a time of need.”

Part of the Haiti relief effort is “Kits 4 Kids” which asks individuals, families and groups to assemble hygiene kits for children in Haiti. The Missouri Department of Education has encouraged schools across the state to participate with a goal of 100,000 completed kits. The kits include shampoo, soap, toothbrush, toothpaste, hand towel and comb.

For more information on Convoy of Hope, Kits 4 Kids and the continued Haiti relief effort, please visit http://www.convoyofhope.org/.

United Way of the Ozarks recently received a $25,000 matching grant from the Community Foundation of the Ozarks. This grant was part of a challenge grant commitment by CFO to match new leadership gifts ($500 or above) up to $25,000 for the 2009 United Way campaign.

To date, 79 donors are either first time contributors or increased their 2009 gift to the leadership level. This effort has raised $61,507 for the campaign.

CFO is pleased to partner with the United Way of the Ozarks to help mobilize resources to meet our community’s needs. For more information on the United Way of the Ozarks, please visit their website here.

Photo: Gary Funk, CFO president, presents $25,000 to Jennifer Kennally, president/CEO of the United Way of the Ozarks, and John Wilson, United Way board chairman, at a recent United Way board meeting.