RSRF awards $427,667 in new grants

The Rising Sun Regional Foundation (RSRF) awarded a total of $427,667 in 13 new grants at its December 15, grant making meeting. These grants include:

· $200,000 to the Rising Sun Municipal Utilities toward the design costs of a new wastewater treatment plant, an estimated $10 million project.

· $50,000 to the City of Rising Sun/Historic Downtown Program toward the restoration of and an addition to the historic First Presbyterian Church on Main Street in Rising Sun to be utilized as a meeting and performance center.

· $10,200 to Rising Sun/Ohio County First to assist with the preparation of a nomination for Historic District status of downtown Rising Sun to be placed on the National Register of Historic Places.

· $5,266 to the Versailles Volunteer Fire Department for the purchase of wall-mounted turnout gear racks.

· $30,800 to the Rising Sun Medical Center for the replacement of carpet and the construction of doors to upgrade its facility.

· $20,500 to the regional Rural Alliance for the Arts for the construction of a storage building to hold equipment, sets, costumes, and other property.

· $16,500 to the Rising Sun Medical Center as a challenge grant toward a two-year pilot project in conjunction with the Dearborn County Hospital to enable low-income and uninsured residents from Ohio and Dearborn counties to purchase prescription drugs at reduced prices.

· $3,190 to the South Dearborn Community School Corporation toward staff development in technology to primarily benefit Aurora residents.

· $39,000 to the Town of Sunman toward improvements to its storm water control system for the eastern half of the town.

· $21,856 to the Friendship Volunteer Fire Department toward the replacement of equipment and the purchase of an Automatic External Defibrillator.

· $2,500 to the Ripley County Department of Parks & Recreation toward the painting of the historic grandstand at the fairgrounds.

· $24,000 to the Ripley County Commissioners toward the purchase of a van to transport veterans to VA hospitals and clinics.

· $4,105 to the Southeastern Career Center for the purchase of rubber floor mats for the lab room workstations in its Cosmetology Department.

"As can be seen by a number of recent and significant grants, the regional foundation is seeking to assist to both diversify and strengthen the economic development base in its grant making region," noted Marianne Wiggers, Rising Sun Regional Foundation's president. She went on to say, "The major $200,000 grant to the Rising Sun Municipal Utilities awarded by RSRF at this most recent grant making meeting, for example, will enable it to continue with the design and construction of a new waste water treatment plant, a critical infrastructure component of the community's planned economic and residential development."

Since late 1996, the Grand Victoria has contributed a total of $23.7 million to RSRF from which the foundation has awarded a total of just over $16 million in grants to date. The balance of RSRF income has been invested in a Permanent Reserve Fund for future grant making purposes and for program and administrative expenses.