Illinois Valley

Starved Rock Country Community Foundation to celebrate 10th anniversary

Monthlong events include $190K in grants, day of service and recognition of former Rep. Yednock

Current and former board chairs of the Starved Rock Country Community Foundation gathered Dec. 11, 2024, at the historic Gen. Wallace Home of Jay and Kim McCracken of Ottawa. Pictured are Jay McCracken, left, Bob Eschbach, Reed Wilson, co-founder Pamela Beckett, and current chair Tracy Bedeker. Former chair Tom Justice was unavailable. The Foundation is celebrating its 10th anniversary this fall.

Current and former board chairs of the Starved Rock Country Community Foundation gathered Dec. 11, 2024, at the historic Gen. Wallace Home of Jay and Kim McCracken of Ottawa. Pictured are Jay McCracken, left, Bob Eschbach, Reed Wilson, co-founder Pamela Beckett, and current chair Tracy Bedeker. Former chair Tom Justice was unavailable. The Foundation is celebrating its 10th anniversary this fall. (Photo provided by Janice Corrigan of SRCCF)

By Maribeth M. Wilson

The Starved Rock Country Community Foundation will celebrate its 10th anniversary this fall.

According to an SRCCF news release, the foundation will celebrate the anniversary with a series of events, including an honors breakfast, a day of service and a ceremony featuring more than $190,000 in grants to eight local nonprofits.

“The celebration will highlight the foundation’s work in arts and culture during the week of Sept. 8, community improvement Sept. 15, health, wellness and education Sept. 22, and community impact Sept. 29,” according to the release.

At 5:30 p.m. Monday, Sept. 15, the foundation will honor former 76th District state Rep. Lance Yednock for facilitating grants to Camp Tuckabatchee, Illinois Valley Food Pantry, Volunteers in Action/Meals on Wheels, Arukah Institute of Healing, The Ottawa Center for the Arts, The Ottawa Children’s Exploreum, Court Appointed Special Advocates and Second Story in Princeton. The event at August Hill in Utica is invitation-only.

Trail cleanup at Starved Rock State Park will be the focus of the SRCCF Day of Service from 1 to 4 p.m. Thursday, Sept. 25.

The anniversary will conclude with an SRCCF Honors breakfast to recognize outstanding contributions to the foundation at 7:30 a.m. Tuesday, Oct. 7, in the Tangled Roots Tap Room, 812 La Salle St., Ottawa.

“From the beginning, our foundation has enjoyed outstanding board leadership and community support. Our goals for the anniversary are to raise awareness of our consequential work and recognize those who’ve invested in and believed in us,” SRCCF President Fran Brolley said in a news release. “We also intend to grow our donor base.”

To contribute, visit srccf.org/anniversary-appeal.

Individuals donating $100 or more will receive a limited edition SRCCF phone charging device.

Since its founding in October 2015 by Pamela and Chuck Beckett of Ottawa, the foundation has invested more than $3 million in the La Salle, Bureau and Putnam County region.

It is achieving its mission of “Connecting people who care with causes that matter” by establishing 130 charitable funds supporting the arts, education, the environment, mental health, economic development and more.

For information, visit srccf.org, call 815-252-2906, or email fran@srccf.org.

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Maribeth M. Wilson

Maribeth M. Wilson has been a reporter with Shaw Media for two years, one of those as news editor at the Morris Herald-News. She became a part of the NewsTribune staff in 2023.