RSRF awards $274,859 in new grants

The Rising Sun Regional Foundation (RSRF) awarded a total of $274,859 in 15 new grants at its September 22, grant making meeting. These grants included:

· 40,000 to Family Connections/Ripley County Family Services toward an addition to its current building in Versailles for expanded staff use to better serve its multi-county service area;

· $16,000 to the Rising Sun Municipal Utilities for the development of a high-level wireless plan for the Rising Sun area;

· $22,817 to the Rising Sun Municipal Utilities toward the purchase of an updated computer information system;

· $32,473 to Jac-Cen-Del Community School Corporation toward the purchase of two mobile wireless carts with computers;

· $2,000 to the Batesville Area Historical Society for the purchase of a roll laminator and paint for the local high school art class to paint a mural on the side of its building;

· $4,248 to Main Street Aurora for the purchase of replacement banners for downtown Aurora;

· $8,513 to the Ohio County Community Foundation for the purchase of items to increase its public awareness program;

· $8,628 to the City of Rising Sun toward the purchase of a sidewalk sweeper/vacuum;

· $10,000 to the Dillsboro Emergency Ambulance Unit for the purchase of equipment for its new building to provide quicker emergency care to its entire service area, including mutual-aid runs in Ohio and Ripley counties;

· $30,000 to the City of Batesville/Emergency Management Division toward the purchase and installation of an outdoor warning siren system;

· $10,500 to the Town of Versailles for the purchase of an updated software program for its utilities department;

· $45,000 to the Ripley County Commissioners toward the purchase of a road grader for its highway department;

· $1,180 to Historic Hoosier Hills RC&D Council on behalf of the Ripley County Convention, Visitor and Tourism Bureau, for the production and sale of CDs of the 2004 Versailles State Park Bluegrass Festival to be used as a fundraiser;

· $29,000 to match a large state grant to Golden Villa Inc. toward major rehabilitation and improvements for two affordable senior hous ing apartment complexes in Batesville;

· $14,500 to the Sunman Area Voluntary Endeavors toward improvements of the parking lot at Raintree Terrace Apartments, an affordable senior housing complex, for better emergency vehicle access.

"Although the foundation granted a lesser total amount at this grants meeting than it has in many previous quarterly grant cycles, RSRF continues to strive to respond to the most immediate and critical needs in
Ohio and Ripley counties and the City of Aurora in relation to its limited grant making budget," stated Marianne Wiggers, Rising Sun Regional Foundation president.

The Rising Sun Regional Foundation was created in 1994 by the City of Rising Sun and Ohio County in conjunction with the development of the Grand Victoria Casino and Resort by the Hyatt Corporation. The Grand Victoria makes monthly contributions to the foundation based on a percentage of its adjusted gross revenue.