ATHENS-Christmas arrived early for some non-profit agencies in Athens and Limestone County.
The Tennessee Valley Authority recently announced a second round of Cares funding for non-profit agencies. TVA partnered with local power companies like Athens Utilities to provide these funds to support local initiatives that benefit communities.
For this second round, TVA allocated $20,000 for Limestone County, and Athens Utilities allocated $20,000 from the Electric Department’s marketing budget for a total of $40,000. TVA and Athens Utilities also allocated $20,000 each during the first round of TVA Cares funding distributed in May.
“These agencies make a difference in the lives of our citizens, and I am glad we can join TVA in supporting their work,” Athens Electric Department Manager Blair Davis said.
TVA said the Cares funding gives local power companies the opportunity to identify organizations working to help sustain and improve the quality of life in the Valley and support economic recovery. The organizations that applied for and received this second round of TVA Cares/Athens Utilities funding attended a check presentation on Friday, Dec. 11, at City Hall.
“Athens and Limestone County are attractive communities because each of these organizations work together with the City and County and our citizens to identify and meet needs,” Athens Mayor Ronnie Marks said.
Athens Main Street
$11,000
To help fund holiday events for the community that provide opportunities for families and visitors to enjoy free and affordable entertainment, such as the annual Christmas parade, Christmas Open House and Sippin’ Cider.
“For our local merchants, holiday sales constitute 40 percent of their yearly revenue, and these (holiday) activities also encourage people to shop and eat local while they are enjoying the events downtown,” Athens Main Street Director Tere Richardson wrote in her application.
Athens-Limestone Community Association
$10,000
The association oversees the historic Trinity-Fort Henderson site that tells the story of slave to solider to student. The site includes a partial Civil War fort, community center, and remnants of Trinity School, which served as the only all-black high school until integration in 1970. COVID-19 has negatively impacted the association’s revenue stream because community center rentals are down and fundraising activities have been delayed. The association is raising funds to preserve the remaining part of the Civil War fort and incorporate it into a walking trail with a stone wall that will accommodate walkers with health issues, such as diabetes and respiratory illnesses. The wall will outline the fort and provide a place for these walkers to sit and rest as needed. This also promotes outdoor recreation, which has become more popular amid COVID-19 restrictions on indoor public gatherings.
Athens Electric Dept. Manager Blair Davis, Alabama Veterans Museum Director Sandy Thompson, and Athens Mayor Ronnie Marks
Athens-Limestone Recycling Center
$10,000
The center is a non-profit that provides recycling services for residents, schools, businesses and other organizations in Athens and Limestone County. Each month has been a struggle financially as the center’s volume of material is down due to not being able to get state inmates to help sort recyclables due to COVID-19 restrictions. Income for this year for cardboard is off by almost $40,000; plastic off by almost $10,000; and paper off by almost $18,000.
“This funding allows the center to keep its doors open, keep employees off unemployment, and allows the center to provide some limited recycling services for the community, such as cardboard and aluminum,” Recycling Center Director Ruby McCartney wrote in her application.
Athens Mayor’s Youth Commission
$3,000
The Youth Commission is comprised of high school students in grades 10-12 at Athens High, Athens Bible, Lindsay Lane Christian Academy and home-schools in Athens. The students learn about local government’s role and their role to be engaged and informed citizens. Youth Commissioners attend monthly meetings, perform community service, oversee several projects. Because of COVID-19 restrictions, Youth Commissioners will not be able to make their normal field trips during the 2020-2021 program year. This funding will allow students to participate in some online civic programs that have a nominal registration fee. This will help facilitate civic engagement online while field trips are prohibited. The students will also use the funds to continue their community grants program, support their Art Corner project where local students submit art creations for display at City Hall, and support their Household Hazardous Waste project.
Athens Electric Dept. Manager Blair Davis, Alabama Veterans Museum Director Sandy Thompson, and Athens Mayor Ronnie Marks
Alabama Veterans Museum and Archives
$3,000
The museum develops and maintains the preservation of archives and artifacts that exemplify the achievements and memories of armed forces veterans. The museum also offers programs for veterans and the public, such as patriotic programs, Coffee Call, etc. Due to COVID-19, the visitor population has been limited, decreasing how much revenue the museum receives in donations. The museum also has meeting space it rents for operational revenue, and rentals are down due to COVID-19, further impacting its revenue. In addition, the museum is renovating a facility to expand its display space and is trying to raise funds, but unfortunately, fundraisers have been cancelled due to COVID-19. These funds will allow the museum to help cover operational and renovation expenses during this pandemic.
Keep Athens-Limestone Beautiful
$1,000
KALB had to cancel its largest fundraiser due to COVID-19, which resulted in the loss of several thousand dollars. KALB uses funds generated by this and other fundraisers to work with 4-H and provide educational programs in the schools for grades 5-6, support litter cleanup efforts by providing supplies like garbage bags and grippers, host a free Earth Day event for the community, and conduct special events like Trash Attack and the Elk River Cleanup. This funding will help KALB continue to provide programs and purchase supplies.
Athens Electric Dept. Manager Blair Davis, Athens-Limestone Public Library Director Jennifer Baxter, and Athens Mayor Ronnie Marks.
Athens-Limestone Public Library Foundation
$1,000
The Library’s Foundation has been impacted by COVID-19 because it has been unable to host its usual fundraising events. While revenues are down, the circulation of books and use of e-books is up because many are turning to reading as a safe pastime. Employees are struggling to meet the demand. The library has had to limit how many patrons may enter the building due to state regulations, but has sought creative ways to engage the public. One example is the Downtown Storybook Stroll that encouraged readers to walk to different locations downtown to find and read pages from a book that were on display in different windows. The library continues to work on its outdoor classroom and library garden that will provide herbs, bubbler rocks, performance pavilion, etc. This space will allow for outdoor education and cultural opportunities. The Foundation will utilize these funds to support the library’s programs designed to engage members of the community.
Full Tummy
$1,000
Full Tummy provides weekend meal bags to children who otherwise would not have access to regular meals when not in school. Since COVID-19, Full Tummy has had to provide in areas of crisis as well and help provide meals not only for kids in school, but all kids. Full Tummy pooled resources with the schools and other civic groups to distribute food to families during the summer when school was out, and continues to provide it as needed this school year, which has depleted its resources. Full Tummy will utilize these funds to replenish its food supplies.
