FAQ
About Us - Q & A
In 2010, the Pinckneyville Press featured a series on the Foundation for Pinckneyville. This question and answer forum, with Foundation for Pinckneyville president Gayl Pyatt and Mayor Joseph Holder concerning issues relevant to both the Foundation and the City of Pinckneyville, was the final excerpt in that series.
Press: Gayl, you have previously stated the Foundation’s role in assisting fledgling organizations. How might they gain assistance from the Foundation? What are the criteria?
Gayl: An organization would make the request for help to me as Foundation president, and I will explain how the process works.
We require applicants to be a 501(c)(3) charitable organization, to show how their project is charitable or educational, to explain their business plans to our Board to demonstrate how well they are organized and the viability of the project, and how they benefit to the Community. Our review process is similar to other charitable foundations, and our Board must carefully consider requests based upon our available funds.
Our job is to help be a catalyst to make positive things happen in the Community. Over the three years the Foundation for Pinckneyville has been in place, it has: co-sponsored the strategic planning committee’s work; funded and hosted two fundraising training seminars for local organizations; made meaningful contributions to the Perry County Fair, assisted the Illinois Rural Heritage Museum and Illinois High School Basketball Hall of Fame with their business planning, legal filings and by-laws, and initial fundraising efforts. The Foundation has raised the funds and has acquired the site for the Heritage Museum and played a major role in the preparation and follow-up necessary to obtain a $750,000 grant for the Hall of Fame and Heritage Museum. And, we are just getting started.
Press: What, in your opinion, will the impact be of the new PCHS complex?
Gayl: It will demonstrate how much Pinckneyville values the education of its young women and men. The new facility will be much safer and efficient to operate. It will create an environment that is conducive to learning. I think it will result in happier, more successful graduates as well as a more productive and inspired faculty.
Mayor: The new PCHS complex will have positive benefits that extend beyond academics and learning. A complex of this type will help draw people to our community. When choosing a community, potential citizens look at the schools their children will be attending inside and out. Visitors often judge a community by its public facilities and this complex will open doors for a wider range of extracurricular activities for visitors to enjoy.
Press: Do you believe the new facility will have an impact on the quality of educators who pursue PCHS as a place of employment?
Gayl: Communities that are attractive to live in usually have education and medical facilities that are new and well run. Teachers, doctors and people who are considering a move to Pinckneyville for retirement or to raise their kids should be impressed by the new high school and the new science lab at Rend Lake Community College. I hope the new Hospital will be added to the list very soon.
Mayor: The new complex will help attract the best teachers and staff because of superior working conditions making it a superior learning center. A new High School will help keep class size to a manageable level and will help to create a classroom environment that is conducive to learning. I believe the new building and superior working conditions will help to attract well trained educators.
Press: The PCHS Education Foundation is one of the organizations that works closely with the Foundation. It has just been released that the Education Foundation has offered a very large matching grant. How could this impact the expectations of students at PCHS?
Gayl: One of the Foundation’s Board members is the source of the matching grant for scholarships and an improved guidance program for the High School students. The motivation for the grant comes from assistance Lu Rose Wilson, the guidance counselor at the time, provided. On her own initiative, Mrs. Wilson helped him find a scholarship to the University of Illinois, and she set him on a much more successful course than he was on. The scholarship and guidance grants are a part of the comprehensive program to improve the opportunities for the youth in the Community. We salute the PCHS administration and the Education Foundation for their leadership in this important endeavor.
Press: Will the Foundation for Pinckneyville assist in raising funds for the education grant? Or is that something the Education Foundation is undertaking personally?
Gayl: The PCHS Education Foundation is responsible for this fundraising challenge, with the very able leadership of Craig Williams, Michelle Breslin and John Shotton, Peg Sims and Andrea Keene. Of course, the Foundation will help where we can.
Press: We have also mentioned the new initiative underway to improve the city park. Is there any indication that Grandstand facilities will be improved?
Gayl: Mayor Holder is the leader of this initiative, so I will defer to him for most of the response.
It is worth noting that the City Park is an irreplaceable asset for the Community. Unfortunately, it has not received a major investment in decades, and the grandstands, exhibition hall, swimming pool and other facilities are beginning to show the effect. Dr. James Wittenauer has held preliminary meetings with the major users of the City Park to obtain their ideas as to what is needed and the priority for any upgrades.
Mayor: The City Park is a part of the recreation our city provides citizens and guests. The grandstand facility would need to be assessed to its overall benefit to the community. That would determine the extend of its renovation.
Press: What other park improvements are in the works?
Gayl: The City Park initiative is in its infancy, so we need to wait for the ideas to come forward and a consensus to be reached by its users. Just think of all the groups and individuals who enjoy our park! The Perry County Fair events, American Thresherman exhibitions, family reunions, baseball and softball programs, swimming programs, and exercise facilities. The City Park is used by tens of thousands of young people of all ages.
Mayor: I believe there is a void in the positive development of Pinckneyville youth from the ages of 13 – 17 years old. A plan to develop a set of programs that will support and aid this group is vital to the betterment of our city. There are several approaches being looked at to battle this problem such as a community building for mentoring, tutoring, and other activities that prepare our youth for their best and brightest future. Sadly, there is a more limited result for building a strong youth program when the home and family support are just not there.
Press: How will these improvements affect youth in Pinckneyville?
Gayl: A new high school, a growing community college, scholarship opportunities, internships … all will create opportunities for our young women and men. As we all know, the young people and their parents have the responsibility to seize the opportunities that are before them. Life won’t become easy because of these initiatives … they will still need to work very hard to be successful.
Press: There has been talk among the residents of Pinckneyville of the need for a youth activity center or drama club. How might things like these be made possible?
Gayl: Wouldn’t that be wonderful! This idea dovetails with our park improvement initiative. It could be a potential project for the Foundation to consider assisting.
Mayor: As I had mentioned before, a community center would be a good place to start, but we will need the support of the family and community as a whole to make it happen.
Press: Are there any efforts in place to help facilitate the “Branson” style park that was in the works near Pyramid State Park?
Gayl: Usually, something that is too good to be true doesn’t happen. I am told the Branson style park went away with similar projects when the financial crisis occurred in 2008 and 2009.
Press: What impact could the Governor’s Hometown Award recently received by the city have in cultivating relationships with State officials, etc. in garnering support and funding to assist in such a project?
Gayl: It’s recognition that the Community is filled with good people who are working to make it better.
Mayor: The Governor's Hometown Award sends a strong positive message to our State officials that Pinckneyville government is doing its part to build its economic and social base. State officials are more inclined to help a community that is actively working to help itself.
Press: How could the town capitalize on the award in order to being business and employment opportunities to Pinckneyville?
Gayl: The award is similar to winning one tournament. We have many other games to win to be considered successful. Improving the employment levels of our citizens is our most important challenge. The Chamber and Foundation have sponsored job fairs, and courses on writing resumes and searching for a job. Man Tra Con is available at the Community College to assist with job searches. New mines and other projects are being built. While success stories exist for those who are willing to undergo training and commute to the job opportunities, we have not achieved our goals.
Mayor: The way to success is to build on success. There is no one big step to make it all happen. Each improvement and recognition builds economic support that will lead Pinckneyville to a more prosperous future.
Press: Mayor, according to a recent statement from you at a city board meeting, the city is in good shape to assist with necessary improvements at the high school. The County budget is bordering, but in the black. What should residents expect from municipalities in the way of assistance in reaching the long-term goals set by the Foundation?
Mayor: Before a town can help anyone or promote any project it must first get it's own house in financial order. Job number one is to stop waste and correct mistakes of past and present. We have no control over what the state might do, but we can certainly live within our means by saving for emergencies and in some cases to help improve the city. One of these improvements is the new High School. They will need street, sidewalk, and utility upgrades to complete the new campus. As a city, we are able to assist with that. As for the other improvements and goals, the city will need to take every project one step at a time, living within our means like everyone else must do. Although we may not have the funding to be able to financially support all of the goals, we will certainly be there to support these goals in any other way possible, just as we wrote the grant to assist with the two new museums.
Press: What is the current timeframe for the Rural Heritage and Basketball Hall of Fame museums to be up and running?
Gayl: Both organizations have outstanding Boards of Directors and are engaged in major fundraising efforts to supplement the state grant and restore the museum buildings. I understand the Illinois Rural Heritage Museum’s signature red barn is being constructed, and the first phase of the Heritage Museum will open this Spring.
Press: What are your expectations for the impact of the museums on the City of Pinckneyville?
Gayl: The goal is Tourism. We expect out of town folks to visit Pinckneyville, tour the museums, check out the Perry County History Museum, visit Pyramid Park and our antique businesses, have lunch in town, fill up their gas tanks, head home and talk about Pinckneyville to their neighbors. We envision the American Thresherman devotees visiting the Rural Heritage Museum, and the Museum supporting the Thresherman organization in a number of ways. The Illinois Basketball Hall of Fame will attract visitors to the Museum and to the induction ceremonies that it hosts. Our residents spend much of their income outside the Community, and the goal is to have others spend money in Pinckneyville and Perry County.
Mayor: The museums will not “fix” the city's economic needs for jobs and growth all at once. Each museum is an important step in bringing back jobs, promoting tourism, and encouraging growth of the community. Success is achieved one step at a time. Each success builds on the last success. In this way, the museums are a positive step for the city.
Press: The Friends of Pyramid Park is a fairly new committee whose idea is to create a gem out of the “diamond in the rough” that is just on the outskirts of town. What are the main goals of the committee and how will the Foundation assist in making them a reality?
Gayl: Dr. Bill Roe is very ably leading this drive. He is joined by state IDNR officials and the groups who use the Park. The goal is to work with IDNR officials to identify priority projects that will enhance Pyramid State Park and to help raise the funds to complete the projects. To be successful, the project will require a consensus to be reached by diverse groups and all of the communities that surround the Park. The Foundation is participating on the Friends Committee, helping to address the 501 (C) – 3 and other organizational issues, and assisting with the initial fundraising.
Press: How will improvements to Pyramid Park benefit the city?
Mayor: I have been told by Mr. Cha Hill, the park's director, that over 20,000 people visit the park each month on average. That alone is a huge tourism boost for Perry County and our city. Any improvements to the park that allows visitors to stay for longer periods of time will benefit our city with tourism dollars. Tourism is a monster economic engine. Pinckneyville is in a great position to take advantage of Pyramid Park's tourism dollars and the jobs that will come along.
Press: How essential is a new hospital to the vision the Foundation has for Pinckneyville?
Gayl: Our current hospital and medical service buildings need to be replaced with more modern and safer facilities. The new hospital building is essential for Pinckneyville to be able to provide quality health care at competitive rates. When businesses and families look for communities to settle in, health care facilities are one of the top priorities. The new hospital building is extremely important for the future of Pinckneyville.
Mayor: First class medical services are important to any legitimate community. Who will live anywhere that is unable to treat you for illness with the most modern and advanced procedures? I would hate to envision Pinckneyville with no hospital. I am a senior citizen, modern medical services are the difference between life and death for many of us. How do you put a price on that?
Press: We have mentioned the volunteers who donate their time and service to the Foundation. How important are volunteers to the organization’s success?
Gayl: The organization IS volunteers. Our Foundation Board, our Strategic Planning group, the Heritage Museum Board, the Basketball Hall of Fame Board, the Friends of Pyramid Park, the city park initiative, the initiative to support our youth, the PCHS Foundation Board and its campaign to raise $100,000, all these endeavors are being driven by volunteers – folks who care about Pinckneyville, its youth, its future. Again, I urge any of your readers who think they might like to get involved in any of these activities to please contact me at gspyatt@yahoo.com, or call me at 357-5048. There is a place in our work for every one.
Press: Mayor, in your opinion, what has been the impact of the Foundation for Pinckneyville to the city and its constituents?
Mayor: The impact that the Foundation for Pinckneyville is having on the community is without measure. Five years ago, a group of community members came together and formed a “Strategic Planning Committee.” These were a cross-section of Pinckneyville citizens and neighbors alike that wanted to make our city a more prosperous, safer, and a better place to live and visit. The Foundation for Pinckneyville is the concrete action on those ideas, hopes, and dreams for the future of our city. Pinckneyville is so very fortunate to have citizens that donate their time, knowledge and resources to build a better tomorrow for Pinckneyville.
Press: Are there any other points that you feel are important for Press readers to know about the Foundation?
Gayl: Well, I haven’t been asked about how the Foundation itself is supported. We are a charitable, tax deductible organization also. Every year we have to raise money to support the effort. We host the Masquerade Party during Mardi Gras and succeed in raising some funds that way – thanks to folks sponsor the event, who buy tickets or tables, or who donate auction items. But the major portion of our funding comes for individuals and businesses who care about Pinckneyville. Many don’t live here anymore, but they still care about this town. Your readers need to know what these folks are doing to make Pinckneyville a better community. By going to our website at www.foundationforpinckneyville.org you can see the list of our donors. We thank them as often as we can. I hope your readers will thank them also. And I hope your readers will consider becoming donors to the Foundation in the coming year.
In 2010, the Pinckneyville Press featured a series on the Foundation for Pinckneyville. This question and answer forum, with Foundation for Pinckneyville president Gayl Pyatt and Mayor Joseph Holder concerning issues relevant to both the Foundation and the City of Pinckneyville, was the final excerpt in that series.
Press: Gayl, you have previously stated the Foundation’s role in assisting fledgling organizations. How might they gain assistance from the Foundation? What are the criteria?
Gayl: An organization would make the request for help to me as Foundation president, and I will explain how the process works.
We require applicants to be a 501(c)(3) charitable organization, to show how their project is charitable or educational, to explain their business plans to our Board to demonstrate how well they are organized and the viability of the project, and how they benefit to the Community. Our review process is similar to other charitable foundations, and our Board must carefully consider requests based upon our available funds.
Our job is to help be a catalyst to make positive things happen in the Community. Over the three years the Foundation for Pinckneyville has been in place, it has: co-sponsored the strategic planning committee’s work; funded and hosted two fundraising training seminars for local organizations; made meaningful contributions to the Perry County Fair, assisted the Illinois Rural Heritage Museum and Illinois High School Basketball Hall of Fame with their business planning, legal filings and by-laws, and initial fundraising efforts. The Foundation has raised the funds and has acquired the site for the Heritage Museum and played a major role in the preparation and follow-up necessary to obtain a $750,000 grant for the Hall of Fame and Heritage Museum. And, we are just getting started.
Press: What, in your opinion, will the impact be of the new PCHS complex?
Gayl: It will demonstrate how much Pinckneyville values the education of its young women and men. The new facility will be much safer and efficient to operate. It will create an environment that is conducive to learning. I think it will result in happier, more successful graduates as well as a more productive and inspired faculty.
Mayor: The new PCHS complex will have positive benefits that extend beyond academics and learning. A complex of this type will help draw people to our community. When choosing a community, potential citizens look at the schools their children will be attending inside and out. Visitors often judge a community by its public facilities and this complex will open doors for a wider range of extracurricular activities for visitors to enjoy.
Press: Do you believe the new facility will have an impact on the quality of educators who pursue PCHS as a place of employment?
Gayl: Communities that are attractive to live in usually have education and medical facilities that are new and well run. Teachers, doctors and people who are considering a move to Pinckneyville for retirement or to raise their kids should be impressed by the new high school and the new science lab at Rend Lake Community College. I hope the new Hospital will be added to the list very soon.
Mayor: The new complex will help attract the best teachers and staff because of superior working conditions making it a superior learning center. A new High School will help keep class size to a manageable level and will help to create a classroom environment that is conducive to learning. I believe the new building and superior working conditions will help to attract well trained educators.
Press: The PCHS Education Foundation is one of the organizations that works closely with the Foundation. It has just been released that the Education Foundation has offered a very large matching grant. How could this impact the expectations of students at PCHS?
Gayl: One of the Foundation’s Board members is the source of the matching grant for scholarships and an improved guidance program for the High School students. The motivation for the grant comes from assistance Lu Rose Wilson, the guidance counselor at the time, provided. On her own initiative, Mrs. Wilson helped him find a scholarship to the University of Illinois, and she set him on a much more successful course than he was on. The scholarship and guidance grants are a part of the comprehensive program to improve the opportunities for the youth in the Community. We salute the PCHS administration and the Education Foundation for their leadership in this important endeavor.
Press: Will the Foundation for Pinckneyville assist in raising funds for the education grant? Or is that something the Education Foundation is undertaking personally?
Gayl: The PCHS Education Foundation is responsible for this fundraising challenge, with the very able leadership of Craig Williams, Michelle Breslin and John Shotton, Peg Sims and Andrea Keene. Of course, the Foundation will help where we can.
Press: We have also mentioned the new initiative underway to improve the city park. Is there any indication that Grandstand facilities will be improved?
Gayl: Mayor Holder is the leader of this initiative, so I will defer to him for most of the response.
It is worth noting that the City Park is an irreplaceable asset for the Community. Unfortunately, it has not received a major investment in decades, and the grandstands, exhibition hall, swimming pool and other facilities are beginning to show the effect. Dr. James Wittenauer has held preliminary meetings with the major users of the City Park to obtain their ideas as to what is needed and the priority for any upgrades.
Mayor: The City Park is a part of the recreation our city provides citizens and guests. The grandstand facility would need to be assessed to its overall benefit to the community. That would determine the extend of its renovation.
Press: What other park improvements are in the works?
Gayl: The City Park initiative is in its infancy, so we need to wait for the ideas to come forward and a consensus to be reached by its users. Just think of all the groups and individuals who enjoy our park! The Perry County Fair events, American Thresherman exhibitions, family reunions, baseball and softball programs, swimming programs, and exercise facilities. The City Park is used by tens of thousands of young people of all ages.
Mayor: I believe there is a void in the positive development of Pinckneyville youth from the ages of 13 – 17 years old. A plan to develop a set of programs that will support and aid this group is vital to the betterment of our city. There are several approaches being looked at to battle this problem such as a community building for mentoring, tutoring, and other activities that prepare our youth for their best and brightest future. Sadly, there is a more limited result for building a strong youth program when the home and family support are just not there.
Press: How will these improvements affect youth in Pinckneyville?
Gayl: A new high school, a growing community college, scholarship opportunities, internships … all will create opportunities for our young women and men. As we all know, the young people and their parents have the responsibility to seize the opportunities that are before them. Life won’t become easy because of these initiatives … they will still need to work very hard to be successful.
Press: There has been talk among the residents of Pinckneyville of the need for a youth activity center or drama club. How might things like these be made possible?
Gayl: Wouldn’t that be wonderful! This idea dovetails with our park improvement initiative. It could be a potential project for the Foundation to consider assisting.
Mayor: As I had mentioned before, a community center would be a good place to start, but we will need the support of the family and community as a whole to make it happen.
Press: Are there any efforts in place to help facilitate the “Branson” style park that was in the works near Pyramid State Park?
Gayl: Usually, something that is too good to be true doesn’t happen. I am told the Branson style park went away with similar projects when the financial crisis occurred in 2008 and 2009.
Press: What impact could the Governor’s Hometown Award recently received by the city have in cultivating relationships with State officials, etc. in garnering support and funding to assist in such a project?
Gayl: It’s recognition that the Community is filled with good people who are working to make it better.
Mayor: The Governor's Hometown Award sends a strong positive message to our State officials that Pinckneyville government is doing its part to build its economic and social base. State officials are more inclined to help a community that is actively working to help itself.
Press: How could the town capitalize on the award in order to being business and employment opportunities to Pinckneyville?
Gayl: The award is similar to winning one tournament. We have many other games to win to be considered successful. Improving the employment levels of our citizens is our most important challenge. The Chamber and Foundation have sponsored job fairs, and courses on writing resumes and searching for a job. Man Tra Con is available at the Community College to assist with job searches. New mines and other projects are being built. While success stories exist for those who are willing to undergo training and commute to the job opportunities, we have not achieved our goals.
Mayor: The way to success is to build on success. There is no one big step to make it all happen. Each improvement and recognition builds economic support that will lead Pinckneyville to a more prosperous future.
Press: Mayor, according to a recent statement from you at a city board meeting, the city is in good shape to assist with necessary improvements at the high school. The County budget is bordering, but in the black. What should residents expect from municipalities in the way of assistance in reaching the long-term goals set by the Foundation?
Mayor: Before a town can help anyone or promote any project it must first get it's own house in financial order. Job number one is to stop waste and correct mistakes of past and present. We have no control over what the state might do, but we can certainly live within our means by saving for emergencies and in some cases to help improve the city. One of these improvements is the new High School. They will need street, sidewalk, and utility upgrades to complete the new campus. As a city, we are able to assist with that. As for the other improvements and goals, the city will need to take every project one step at a time, living within our means like everyone else must do. Although we may not have the funding to be able to financially support all of the goals, we will certainly be there to support these goals in any other way possible, just as we wrote the grant to assist with the two new museums.
Press: What is the current timeframe for the Rural Heritage and Basketball Hall of Fame museums to be up and running?
Gayl: Both organizations have outstanding Boards of Directors and are engaged in major fundraising efforts to supplement the state grant and restore the museum buildings. I understand the Illinois Rural Heritage Museum’s signature red barn is being constructed, and the first phase of the Heritage Museum will open this Spring.
Press: What are your expectations for the impact of the museums on the City of Pinckneyville?
Gayl: The goal is Tourism. We expect out of town folks to visit Pinckneyville, tour the museums, check out the Perry County History Museum, visit Pyramid Park and our antique businesses, have lunch in town, fill up their gas tanks, head home and talk about Pinckneyville to their neighbors. We envision the American Thresherman devotees visiting the Rural Heritage Museum, and the Museum supporting the Thresherman organization in a number of ways. The Illinois Basketball Hall of Fame will attract visitors to the Museum and to the induction ceremonies that it hosts. Our residents spend much of their income outside the Community, and the goal is to have others spend money in Pinckneyville and Perry County.
Mayor: The museums will not “fix” the city's economic needs for jobs and growth all at once. Each museum is an important step in bringing back jobs, promoting tourism, and encouraging growth of the community. Success is achieved one step at a time. Each success builds on the last success. In this way, the museums are a positive step for the city.
Press: The Friends of Pyramid Park is a fairly new committee whose idea is to create a gem out of the “diamond in the rough” that is just on the outskirts of town. What are the main goals of the committee and how will the Foundation assist in making them a reality?
Gayl: Dr. Bill Roe is very ably leading this drive. He is joined by state IDNR officials and the groups who use the Park. The goal is to work with IDNR officials to identify priority projects that will enhance Pyramid State Park and to help raise the funds to complete the projects. To be successful, the project will require a consensus to be reached by diverse groups and all of the communities that surround the Park. The Foundation is participating on the Friends Committee, helping to address the 501 (C) – 3 and other organizational issues, and assisting with the initial fundraising.
Press: How will improvements to Pyramid Park benefit the city?
Mayor: I have been told by Mr. Cha Hill, the park's director, that over 20,000 people visit the park each month on average. That alone is a huge tourism boost for Perry County and our city. Any improvements to the park that allows visitors to stay for longer periods of time will benefit our city with tourism dollars. Tourism is a monster economic engine. Pinckneyville is in a great position to take advantage of Pyramid Park's tourism dollars and the jobs that will come along.
Press: How essential is a new hospital to the vision the Foundation has for Pinckneyville?
Gayl: Our current hospital and medical service buildings need to be replaced with more modern and safer facilities. The new hospital building is essential for Pinckneyville to be able to provide quality health care at competitive rates. When businesses and families look for communities to settle in, health care facilities are one of the top priorities. The new hospital building is extremely important for the future of Pinckneyville.
Mayor: First class medical services are important to any legitimate community. Who will live anywhere that is unable to treat you for illness with the most modern and advanced procedures? I would hate to envision Pinckneyville with no hospital. I am a senior citizen, modern medical services are the difference between life and death for many of us. How do you put a price on that?
Press: We have mentioned the volunteers who donate their time and service to the Foundation. How important are volunteers to the organization’s success?
Gayl: The organization IS volunteers. Our Foundation Board, our Strategic Planning group, the Heritage Museum Board, the Basketball Hall of Fame Board, the Friends of Pyramid Park, the city park initiative, the initiative to support our youth, the PCHS Foundation Board and its campaign to raise $100,000, all these endeavors are being driven by volunteers – folks who care about Pinckneyville, its youth, its future. Again, I urge any of your readers who think they might like to get involved in any of these activities to please contact me at gspyatt@yahoo.com, or call me at 357-5048. There is a place in our work for every one.
Press: Mayor, in your opinion, what has been the impact of the Foundation for Pinckneyville to the city and its constituents?
Mayor: The impact that the Foundation for Pinckneyville is having on the community is without measure. Five years ago, a group of community members came together and formed a “Strategic Planning Committee.” These were a cross-section of Pinckneyville citizens and neighbors alike that wanted to make our city a more prosperous, safer, and a better place to live and visit. The Foundation for Pinckneyville is the concrete action on those ideas, hopes, and dreams for the future of our city. Pinckneyville is so very fortunate to have citizens that donate their time, knowledge and resources to build a better tomorrow for Pinckneyville.
Press: Are there any other points that you feel are important for Press readers to know about the Foundation?
Gayl: Well, I haven’t been asked about how the Foundation itself is supported. We are a charitable, tax deductible organization also. Every year we have to raise money to support the effort. We host the Masquerade Party during Mardi Gras and succeed in raising some funds that way – thanks to folks sponsor the event, who buy tickets or tables, or who donate auction items. But the major portion of our funding comes for individuals and businesses who care about Pinckneyville. Many don’t live here anymore, but they still care about this town. Your readers need to know what these folks are doing to make Pinckneyville a better community. By going to our website at www.foundationforpinckneyville.org you can see the list of our donors. We thank them as often as we can. I hope your readers will thank them also. And I hope your readers will consider becoming donors to the Foundation in the coming year.
