The Milan News-Leader
A Heritage Newspaper
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letters
PUBLISHED: March 13, 2008
Headline about auction was wrong, misleading
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While the front-page story in last week's Milan News-Leader made no mention that the proceeds from the Greater Milan Area Community Foundation's March 1 benefit were earmarked for schools, the headline, "Foundation raises money for schools," was both inaccurate and misleading.
In 2005, the foundation was established to build endowments to enrich the quality of life in the Milan area. That's what we're about. That is our purpose, our goal and our mission. Our 15-member board of trustees is a dedicated group of local residents who represent our community and have its well-being at heart.
We depend solely on the generosity of the community to support and build the foundation through philanthropic giving. Managing the foundation is serious business and we respectively serve as stewards for those funds that are entrusted to our care by individuals, families, businesses and organizations. We receive guidance and support from our affiliate, the Community Foundation of Monroe County, which complies with the National Standards for U.S. Community Foundations.
Since we are new, "Lighting the Way to the Future" is a special benefit event that serves two purposes. It helps create an awareness of the foundation while growing our general endowment fund from which our grants are made. The evening's success depends on the work of volunteers and its proceeds are not directed to a specific purpose or program.
In late spring, our grant committee will examine the credentials of all grant applicants to determine the viability of any proposed projects or programs that come to us. Their recommendations must be approved by our full board before the grants are awarded in early fall during a special donor/grant reception.
We have, and will continue, to award grants to worthwhile programs which may involve our schools. But we will also continue to award grants to any worthy nonprofit groups that are working to benefit our community, as well.
Hopefully this will clear up any misconceptions your headline writer may have about the foundation.
Isabelle Schultz
President
Greater Milan Area
Community Foundation
Milan
Decision involving fire department a step back
I'd like to comment on the story about the changes in store for the Milan Fire Department being that my father has been on the department for more than 20 years, and he and I have seen many changes in the town of Milan -- and not all for the better.
This comes to me as a shock. Yes, the department makes a lot of calls and there have been many mornings that I've been awaken by the tones from the dispatcher. The tones have gone off at crazy hours, when I thought my father was a nut to go, with little or no sleep. But most people aren't in it for the money, but rather to help out others.
I just hope the people who made this vote one day need some help.
Why not let the voters, who pay taxes and live here, make the decision?
This just seems like a bad move. Why would people want to live in a town that seems to be going backward? I just wish this town would have stayed a nice family town, but you can't stop growth and the department has to respond to more calls that come with that growth. Why can't the decision-makers understand this?
John Covel
Milan
Foundation benefits entire community
I am writing this letter in response to the headline in the March 6 Milan News Leader that states: "Foundation raises money for schools." While the story is well written, the headline is incorrect.
The Greater Milan Area Community Foundation is just that -- a community foundation. It's not a Milan Area Schools Foundation. The goal of the foundation as stated in its mission sStatement is: " ... a permanent and growing charitable community endowment that, through a wide variety of grants and programs, serves to enhance life in our community..."
The second annual Lighting the Way to the Future fund-raising event was designed to increase the knowledge of the community about the foundation, to encourage people to donate, and to raise funds for the endowment -- not the schools.
To have The News-Leader run a headline like it did illustrates that the editor or editorial staff does not understand the role or purpose of the foundation and, as a result, creates a community perception that is incorrect.
In 2007 the foundation awarded 13 grants. Nine of them went to community organizations like the historical society, city recreation, city police, Aid in Milan, and the senior center to, name a few.
Four grants were awarded to school groups. However, out of those, three of the grants were awarded to groups that benefit the community. One was to the Community Garden Project, which, although housed at the school, is actually a community project, and many of the vegetables raised are donated to food organizations. The other two were awarded to the First Steps Program and Community Education.
Those programs, again housed at the schools, are ones that receive no direct support from the school district's general fund, but instead, must be self sustaining. Their funds come from state and community grants, as well as tuition and fees. If they do not receive funds from outside sources, they will no longer be able to operate and the community loses two valuable resources.
The fund-raising event was to generate funds to add to the endowment fund of the foundation. These funds help increase the amount of interest generated from the endowment so that more grants can be awarded to community groups and organizations. While the school district may get grants in the future, the people who apply must adhere to the same guidelines and scrutiny any other community group does.
The Greater Milan Area Community Foundation is not a school foundation. It is a community foundation. I sincerely hope that The News-Leader will run a prominent story with the appropriate headline to help correct the misconception it created with the headline in the March 6 edition.
Dennis McComb
Superintendent
Milan Area Schools and
Chairman of Lighting the Way to the Future
Milan
Don't miss students in 'The Sound of Music'
Here is tip from one on the inside of the production of "The Sound of Music," this spring's offering from the Milan High School Performing Arts group: Don't miss this production.
The voices are stunning, the sets are astonishing, the choreography is first rate. You will not believe that this is a high school production. I have watched rehearsals while sewing costumes and have been continuously delighted.
Bring your family and friends for some real entertainment.
The play will be held 7:30 p.m. Friday and Saturday, and 2:30 p.m. Sunday at the Milan High School auditorium.
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