First Annual Meeting a Big Success
December 3, 2015
MWCD Executive Director John Hoopingarner speaks at the Annual Meeting
The first Annual Meeting of the Muskingum Watershed Conservancy Foundation was held on Friday, November 6, 2015 at the Kent State University at Tuscarawas Performing Arts Center in New Philadelphia. Nearly 200 people attended the event, which featured keynote speaker Dr. Jeffrey Reutter of the Ohio State University.
"Tonight was a great success for the Foundation," said Development Coordinator Nick Lautzenheiser. "This Annual Dinner was really our way to say thank you to all of our generous donors and celebrate the wonderful accomplishments of the Foundation. The impressive attendance reinforces how important our work is," Lautzenheiser added.
Foundation Board of Trustees Chairman Jim Schoch thanked all of the generous event sponsors, which included AECOM, Environmental Design Group, GPD Group, ms consultants, and Tucson. "We could not host an event like this without the support from these sponsors," Schoch explained. In addition to the event sponsors, there were a number of table and program sponsors.
Although this was the first annual event for the organization, the Foundation began nearly 20 years earlier in 1996 with the establishment of the Muskingum Watershed Conservancy District Charitable Endowment Fund. This endowment fund was established as a component fund of the Stark Community Foundation and provided donors an opportunity to make tax-deductible contributions to support the mission of the Conservancy District. The Foundation was officially incorporated as a 501(c)3 nonprofit charitable organization in 2001 with a mission of providing financial resources to enhance facilities, programs, and conservation efforts on or adjacent to District lands and waters. Since 2004, the Foundation has funded 70 grant projects totaling over $300,000.
Proceeds from the event will support the establishment of a new Mini-Grants program, which will begin in 2016. The Mini-Grants program will be open to the 13 youth camps along the MWCD lakes to support natural resource conservation and environmental education projects.
