Eldon Area Community Betterment Organization. MCB: 50 Golden Years Building Strong Communities

Transcription

1 Eldon Area Community Betterment Organization MCB: 50 Golden Years Building Strong Communities

2 Eldon Area Community Betterment Organization Table of Contents 2013 Project Book Section 1 Table of Contents Page 1 Community Betterment. Page 2 Youth Involvement. Page 3 Community Assessment. Page 4 Community Goals... Page 5-6 Planning. Page 7 Section 2 Projects Page 8-9 EGC/City Avenue of Flags Page Eldon Educational Butterfly Bounty... Page Going Green at Eldon Aquatic Center. Page Eldon Family Fitness Event.. Page City of Eldon New Pet Pad.. Page 23-25

3 Community Betterment

4 Youth Involvement The Youth of Eldon are certainly involved in the Eldon Community. Eldon Kiwanis has helped organize two new youth clubs. The first is the E.A.R.T.H. Key Club. It consists of Eldon High School Students that do several projects in the community and volunteer their time. The second is the Aktion Club. It consists of disabled and handicapped people in the community wanting to give their abilities and volunteering to the community. The High School FFA is very active in our community. Eldon is the 3rd largest FFA Chapter in Missouri and has been recognized as one of the top Chapters in the state. They have partnered with the City on several projects giving their time and abilities as volunteerism. The Boy Scouts partner with the Lions Club and the Chamber of Commerce during Turkey Festival. The Girl Scouts partner with the Jaycees for continuous clean up of Rock Island Park. Other youth groups involved in Community Betterment are 4-H clubs, School Cheerleaders, Student Council and FCCLA. The Students attending Mustang Academy, the alternative high school in Eldon volunteer their time for several community projects and projects at the school campuses. This year they continue to support the Mustang Pack program. The Eldon Area Community Betterment Organization is very proud of the youth in the Community.

5 Community Assessment Community Assessment The City of Eldon held a Focus Session when they formulated their Comprehensive Plan. This focus session provided the opportunity for residents, landowners and business leaders of Eldon to identify issues that are critical to the immediate, as well as the long term future of the community. Approximately 30 members of the community participated in ranking the most important issues facing the City of Eldon. Break out groups were formed to discuss the issues that were identified by the entire group. They identified 3 areas of concern; 1. Future land use: issues discussed related to the location, type and quality of land uses as Eldon grows and as the city seeks to maintain existing neighborhoods. 2. Economic Development: issues discussed related to business and industrial growth in Eldon and the surrounding area. 3. Quality of Life: issues discussed focused on specific issues that influence the caliber of the Eldon area as a place to live and work. The City of Eldon, The Eldon Area Community Betterment Organization, and the Eldon Chamber of Commerce have sponsored the Missouri Community Assessment Program. Eldon received the All Missouri Certified City designation in The community went through re-evaluation process in 2003, 2007 and The Eldon Chamber of Commerce hosted an event at the Eldon Community Center to kick off the MOCAP. The Chamber of Commerce asked all previous participants as well as any new citizens to participate in the re-evaluation process. The projects submitted this year are priorities in the comprehensive plan and the MOCAPP process.

6 Community Goals EGC/City Avenue of Flags- To enhance the appearance of the Eldon cemetery and to show our love and appreciation for our County and Military personnel. The placement of seventeen solar-lighted flag poles displaying our national flag and the City Avenue of Flags project is another way to go green and engage residents in a more sustainable future. Eldon Educational Butterfly Bounty- The first butterfly garden for Eldon was a project that was started two years ago. Through the dedication of the community members, volunteers, and the Eldon Garden Club, that vision is coming to fruition. The Eldon Butterfly Bounty is one of only a handful of butterfly gardens in the state. It is handicap accessible and open to the public for general enjoyment but also available for educational opportunities by youth, adults and seniors. The Butterfly Bounty s continued presence in our community will benefit the further enhancement of local economic development as well as improvement in the quality of our lives for those volunteers who maintain the grounds. Going Green at Eldon Aquatic Center- Communities are the place where individuals and groups come together in powerful ways to make change. Many communities in the U.S. are embarking on projects like the going green solar panels at the Eldon Aquatic Center and policies that engage residents in a more sustainable future.

7 Eldon Family Fitness Event- Community Goals This project was started because physical fitness is both a national and local issue. This issue affects the economy through loss of productivity and healthcare costs. This was an opportunity for PAVE AmeriCorps and L.E.A.P. to partner with other local agencies that share the same concerns about health and well being. City of Eldon New Pet Pad- The New Pet Pad is a safer, healthy, and humane environment for the animal shelter s guests till a permanent family home is established. Youth Project- Michelle Herbert, principal of Eldon South Elementary School and PAVE/AmeriCorps Summer of Service Associates partnered last summer in creating a more appealing entry to the Upper Elementary School which holds classes for 4 th, 5 th and 6 th graders. The Summer of Service Associates removed grass and weeds from proposed areas to be landscaped. They then followed up with landscape block edging and a layer of mulch. Because of a previous teaching association with members of the Eldon Garden Club and the club s involvement with the L.E.A.P. program, Michelle approached the Eldon Garden Club asking for advice in designing and assistance in establishing plants and shrubs for the newly formed beds. One of the 6 th grade teachers, Mrs. Atout, wishing her students to become more involved in the community, asked if they would be willing to assist in the planting process. Showing their willingness to help, Mrs. Atout then approached Mrs. Herbert with the idea. The spring of 2013 provided the opportunity for the Eldon Garden Club to come up with a landscape design and make arrangements for procurement of the shrubs and plants. With several garden club members providing guidance and Mrs. Atout s students providing much needed manpower, the beds were established before the end of the school year in May 2013.

8 Planning The short range plans are those identified as those that can be completed in less than a year. The long range plans are projects that will continue past one year and are identified in the executive summary information. The strategy for achieving plans and goals comes from sources of planning. The Eldon Community Betterment Organization serves as a coordinator and in some cases a facilitator for planning. The City of Eldon, Businesses, Chamber of Commerce, Eldon Development Corporation, Eldon Community Betterment, Civic Organizations, Churches and individuals take responsibility to plan, implement and complete projects. Sources of funding come from fund raisers, sales taxes and numerous grant programs. Many projects in the Eldon Community are ongoing and require continued updates to the plan. The City of Eldon adopted a Comprehensive Plan in Individuals spent considerable time developing the plan. The Eldon Chamber of Commerce has spearheaded the Missouri Community Assessment Program since The MOCAPP report was recently updated and revised to assess community progress and the City of Eldon has been recertified as an All Missouri Certified City. The Eldon Community Betterment Organization meets monthly to discuss the projects needed in the community and which organization is best suited to accomplish the goals. This serves in many cases as the early stages of planning. The projects submitted this year are all identified in the Missouri Community Assessment Program.

9 Eldon Area Community Betterment Organization 2013 Projects Eldon Garden Club/City Avenue of Flags Eldon Educational Butterfly Bounty Going Green at Eldon Aquatic Center Eldon Family Fitness Event New Pet Pad

10 Eldon Area Community Betterment Organization 2011 Projects Fountain Apartment Fire Response Eldon s Christmas Festival and Parade Eldon s Community Thanksgiving Dinner Eldon s R-1School New Locker Room/Concession Stand FFA- Parliamentary Procedure Team Sacred Heart Annual Santa s Workshop 2012 Projects Eldon Farmer s Market Planting Community Pride Christian Cantwell Eldon Butterfly Bounty Rock Island Trail Youth Project Mustang Packs

11 2013 Eldon Garden Club/City Avenue of Flags Community/Neighborhood: Eldon Name of Project: Avenue of Flags Project Coordinator: Joan Eads Type of Project: Short-term (up to 12 months) Time Frame: Date begun: Date completed: Number of volunteers: 3 Age range of volunteers: Not Applicable Cost of project: Materials: Donated $0.00 Sources of funding: Purchased $ Labor: Volunteer $ Paid (City) $ Total cost: $ Grants 0 $0.00 Donations $ Other (explain): City $ Narrative: After two years in the discussion and planning stages, the election of new mayor and the hiring of new city administrator, it finally came down to making a decision as to what project was considered to be the most important to families visiting their loved ones interred in the Eldon City Cemetery. Patriotism and honor for members of our armed forces was the deciding factor. So with the assistance from City employee, Steve Johnson, the most cost effective method of purchasing and installing an Avenue of Flags in the Eldon City Cemetery was settled on. City employees provided the labor, equipment and concrete to erect seventeen solar-lighted flag poles displaying our national flag. The poles, flags and solar lighting were provided by the Eldon Garden Club. The delivery and installation was all completed just in time for Memorial Day Weekend. Flag replacement will be the responsibility of the Eldon Garden Club.

12 2013 Eldon Garden Club/City Avenue of Flags

13 2013 Eldon Garden Club/City Avenue of Flags

14 2013 Eldon Educational Butterfly Bounty Community/Neighborhood: Eldon Name of Project: Eldon Educational Butterfly Bounty Project Coordinator: Joan Eads Type of Project: Long-term (1-5years) Time Frame: Date begun: Date completed: Work in progress Number of volunteers: 44 Age range of volunteers: 9-85 Cost of project: Materials: Donated $ Purchased $ Labor: Volunteer $ Paid (city) $ Total cost: $ Sources of funding: Grants: $ Donations: $ Other (explain): Fundraisers $ Narrative: City $ This beautification and educational project was begun in 2011 on City of Eldon property. The idea was presented to the City by the Eldon Garden Club. Objectives include use of native perennials, trees and shrubs that are all host and/or nectar plants for various types of butterflies. With proper signage, the completed project will provide an educational opportunity for handicapped students, youth groups, elderly, local organizations and the entire community. It is the hope of the City and the Garden Club that the garden will not only provide for a continuing learning experience but a beautiful secluded area for meditation and respite for the local citizenry and those passing through. This was a cooperative planning effort of the Eldon Garden Club, City personnel and a local landscape designer. Labor for preparation and planting was provided by city personnel, students from Eldon Mustang Academy, PAVE/AmeriCorps Summer of Service Associates and Garden Club members.

15 2013 Eldon Educational Butterfly Bounty Working towards a goal-ernie Flaugher, Dale Flaugher, and Tim Burks of Ernie s Construction, Eldon Garden Club President Jackie Bray and Butterfly Garden designer Brenda Draeger, and Eldon Public Works Supervisor Steve Johnson meet on the first day of work on the butterfly garden at the Eldon Blue Star Memorial. Work begins-tuesday, Aug. 30, work began on phase one of the Eldon Blue Star Memorial Butterfly Garden. The Eldon Garden Club is spearheading the project, which was made possible by a grant from the Eldon Community Foundation. The Eldon Garden Club has been working closely with the City of Eldon on the project. Above, employees of Ernie s Construction were at work on the project. Eldon s Blue Star Memorial is located by Jiffy Stop and Capital Region Clinic.

16 2013 Eldon Educational Butterfly Bounty The Magic Begins A Firm Foundation

17 2013 Eldon Educational Butterfly Bounty Eldon Garden Club President Jackie Bray and member Brenda Draeger say they were thrilled Tuesday, Aug. 30, when the first phase of a long held dream actually began. Work began on a butterfly garden at the Blue Star Memorial located by Jiffy Stop and the Capital Region Clinic in Eldon. The garden will be handicapped accessible and will have four to five parking spots off of the roadway. The wheelchair accessible path around the garden is the first step of the project and work had already begun when Bray and Draeger arrived. Ernie s Construction was busy moving dirt and putting down the foundation of the garden. When completed, the garden will have a pathway around a garden featuring plants such as Cat Mint (Nepeta) and Verbina, which attract butterflies, and a plaque with educational information about butterflies. An area with wet sand is necessary because that is how butterflies drink. There will also be three, fourfoot benches around the garden. The garden club is also thinking of bringing in boulders for extra seating. On one side the area will be protected with evergreens. The Eldon Garden Club has talked about a butterfly garden for a couple of years, but they began moving forward last year with the help of the City of Eldon and the community. Bray and club members worked with the city in planning the garden, and Bray attended a city council meeting to get approval to move forward using our grant money from the Eldon Community Foundation program. We want to thank them, says Bray. This is the way we are using our grant money from the Eldon Community Foundation and they have been behind this whole effort. Brenda Draeger, who does landscaping, designed the garden. It will be used for educational purposes for anyone who wants to come and learn about butterflies, says Draeger. We will have beneficial plants for the butterflies and hopefully we will have so many in here, it will be hard to sit down. And we are working so the handicapped will be able to come out. There will be a paved surface, says Bray. After putting in the wheelchair accessible path around the garden, the Eldon Garden Club will then bring in topsoil to help the plants thrive. Hopefully by spring we will be able to start putting in some plants, says Draeger. Bray says the project will actually be done in three phases. It s an ongoing project the community is totally involved in because we could not do this without them, continues Bray. Volunteer efforts have also greatly helped the project along. Draeger points to Tom Dial from Midway Rentals in Eldon who will be delivering dirt for the project. The Eldon Garden Club is looking for more donations of gravel and other materials necessary to complete the garden. Cash donations would also be helpful to purchase plants and trees for the area. Story And Photos By Tammy Witherspoon For more information about the garden or to donate call Brenda Draeger at (573)

18 2013 Going Green at Eldon Aquatic Center Community/Neighborhood: Eldon Name of Project: Going Green at Eldon Aquatic Center Project Coordinator: Keith Walk Type of Project: Short-term- 1 Month Time Frame: Date begun Date completed: Number of volunteers: 0 Age range of volunteers: Not Applicable Cost of project: Materials: Donated $0.00 Sources of funding: Narrative: Purchased $39, Labor: Volunteer $0.00 Paid $39, Total cost: $39, Grants 0 $0.00 Donations 0 $0.00 Other (explain): City purchased $39, The solar panels were installed to cut the expense of heating the pool through the old boiler system. After looking into several alternatives it was decided by the city to go with solar panels to help heat the aquatic center. The aquatic center is used by swim teams, local residents and people visiting the community. Prior to the solar panels the pool was heated by a boiler system. The cost was very high and the aquatic center was only able to use that type of heat for about a month, usually May 30th through June 30 th. The new solar panels will be used the entire season.

19 2013 Going Green at Eldon Aquatic Center Solar Heating of Pool

20 2013 Going Green at Eldon Aquatic Center The Heat exchange that heats the pool AQUATIC CENTER POOL HOURS Monday through Saturday - 12:00 PM to 6:00 PM Sunday - 1:00 PM to 6:00 PM Holding Tanks There are 24 solar heating panels installed at the Eldon Aquatic Center

21 2013 Eldon Family Fitness Event Community/Neighborhood: Eldon Name of Project: Eldon Family Fitness Event Project Coordinator: Leigh Ann Toalson Type of Project: Short-term- up to 12 Month Time Frame: Date begun Date completed: Number of volunteers: 35 Age range of volunteers: Cost of project: Materials: Donated $ Purchased $ 0.00 Labor: Volunteer $ Paid $ 0.00 Total cost: $1, Sources of funding: Grants 0 $ 0.00 Donations $ Other (explain) $ 0.00 Narrative: This project started with PAVE AmeriCorps honoring Martin Luther King Day of Service. PAVE started this project because physical fitness is both a national and local issue. This Topic affects the economy through loss of productivity and healthcare costs. This was an opportunity for PAVE AmeriCorps and L.E.A.P. to partner with other local agencies that share the same concerns about health and well being. The event consisted of games that were both physically and mentally challenging, workout routines that the entire family could participate in, glucose testing for the parents, BMI checks, height and weight and nutritional information, and nutritious snacks. This event was free to the public with free door prize drawings throughout the evening.

22 2013 Eldon Family Fitness Event

23 2013 Eldon Family Fitness Event COMPASS Prevention taught students about the damage smoking can do to your body. Mandy Dixon even demonstrated with pig lungs! Gross! But the kids loved it!! Lake Regional showed kids how to calculate their BMI and gave out free pedometers.

24 2013 City of Eldon Animal Shelter New Pet Pad Community/Neighborhood: Eldon Name of Project: City of Eldon Animal Shelter New Pet Pad Project Coordinator: Rita Burks Type of Project: Short-term- 4 Months Time Frame: Date begun Date completed: Number of volunteers: 0 Age range of volunteers: Not Applicable Cost of project: Materials: Donated $44, Purchased $44, Labor: Volunteer $0.00 Paid $44, Total cost: $44, Sources of funding: Grants 0 $0.00 Donations 0 $0.00 Other (explain) City $44, Narrative: The local Animal Shelter was recently renovated. The project included new ceilings, walls, floors, kennels, runs, heating and air conditioning, electrical, insulation and painting. This project was chosen to update the facility to house the animals in a safe and comfortable environment. This project was put into the city s budget and through that process was then completed.

25 City of Eldon Animal Shelter New Pet Pad City of Eldon, Missouri, 101 S. Oak Street, Eldon, MO Phone Hi, my name is Henry. Woof! The City has tried to make it very easy for you to be able to find me and any information that you would need to be able to come and see me, and maybe even take me home! I must admit I love my new digs at the shelter. It is brand new and looks completely different from before the renovations. My home is comfortable, clean, warm in the winter, and cool in the summer. You would like it here. But, sorry, they only allow pets (except for Scott Richey, of course, who gets extra treats because he is certified to take care of us, plus he loves us)! But as good as I have it here, I would much rather go home with someone who would love me and make me their forever friend. I would make a wonderful addition to your family.

26 City of Eldon Animal Shelter The city of Eldon is working fast and furious to make major improvements to the Eldon Animal Shelter. Improvements that were long overdue, according to Mayor Ronald Bly. Facing a Jan. 31 ultimatum from the Missouri Department of Agriculture, city crews are in the process of replacing the insulation, metal walls and ceiling, ceiling fans, furnace, cages, and extending the outdoor dog runs from 10 to 20 feet. Employees also renovated the cat room with new ventilation, new plywood and metal, along with new and larger cat cages. We re basically remodeling the entire animal shelter, said Public Works Director Steve Johnson. The city also received an unexpected helping hand from Jefferson City, which donated fencing and new cages from their old animal shelter. The city recently built a new animal shelter and has other uses for the old one. Eldon also received a stainless steel bathing tank from Jefferson City. In addition to the above renovations, city employees have also begun grinding down the floors to apply non-slip kennel paint, at a cost of approximately $300 per gallon. Bly said crews had actually just finished one section of the floor when it was damaged by visitors at the shelter after last Tuesday s city council meeting. The section of the floor will now have to be ground again and the paint re-applied, at a total cost of nearly $1,000. In all, the improvements are estimated to cost the city $15,000 to $16,000. Bly said this amount would have been substantially higher if not for the donations from Jefferson City. New Pet Pad

27 Youth Project-2013 School Beatification Community/Neighborhood: Eldon Name of Project: Youth Project-2013 School Beatification Project Coordinator: Garden Club, Michelle Herbert and PAVE AmeriCorps Type of Project: Short Term Time Frame: Date begun: Date completed: Number of volunteers: 32 Age range of volunteers:10 years to adult Cost of project: Sources of funding: Materials: Donated $ 0.00 Purchased $ Labor: Volunteer $ Paid $ Total cost: $ Grants 0 $ 0.00 Donations donated blocks $ Other (explain) City purchased $ 0.00 Narrative: Michelle Herbert, principal of Eldon Upper Elementary School and PAVE/AmeriCorps Summer of Service Associates partnered last summer in creating a more appealing entry to the upper elementary school which holds classes for 4 th, 5 th and 6 th graders. The Summer of Service Associates removed grass and weeds from proposed areas to be landscaped. They then followed up with landscape block edging and a layer of mulch. Because of a previous teaching association with members of the Eldon Garden Club and the club s involvement with the L.E.A.P. program, Michelle approached the Eldon Garden Club asking for advice in designing and assistance in establishing plants and shrubs for the newly formed beds. One of the 6 th grade teachers, Mrs. Atout, wishing her students to become more involved in the community, asked if they would be willing to assist in the planting process. Showing their willingness to help, Mrs. Atout then approached Mrs. Herbert with the idea. The spring of 2013 provided the opportunity for the Eldon Garden Club to come up with a landscape design and make arrangements for procurement of the shrubs and plants. With several garden club members providing guidance and Mrs. Atout s students providing much needed manpower, the beds were established before the end of the school year in May 2013.

28 Youth Project-2013 School Beatification

29 Youth Project-