The Columbia County Fair & Livestock Association over the past few days has been active. In approximately 10 day’s time, the group received $54,000 in grant and donation aid, all while itself distributing $2,250 worth of scholarship awards to three just graduated county high schoolers.
Announced on May 25, the Fair Association was notified that $4,000 in state rural service and development grant funds would be trickled down to their organization. The official check presentation took place Monday afternoon at the Columbia County Courthouse in Magnolia as Arkansas State Rep. David Fielding and Columbia County Judge Larry Atkinson presented Fair Association board members the funds.
The state grant was awarded through the Arkansas Economic Development Council’s yearly Rural Services and Development program. The newly received award is set to help refurbish aging electrical infrastructure throughout the fairgrounds.
The real kicker, however, came just last week when the Albemarle Foundation donated $50,000 to go toward the Fair Association’s building fund – specifically to aid in re-roofing or possibly even rebuilding the Jameson Arts and Crafts Building. The donation check was presented last week at the fairgrounds by Albemarle Foundation members.
Although a re-roofing project or construction of an expo hall-sized structure – as the Jameson building is – takes many man-hours, development time, and large financial commitments, Fair Association members know how important such a large donation by the Albemarle Foundation is for their goal.
“It’s a big project,” said Fair Association President Sonya Caldwell, “but this really helps a lot.”
In social media posts, the group deeply thanked both the Albemarle Foundation and AEDC’s Rural Development Program for their contributions.
The Fair Association in recent days, though, was not just on the receiving end of funding and aid. The group on Monday donated three $750 scholarships to former Columbia County high school students – all of whom are now on their way to collegiate studies.
Reece McDonald, a 2018 Magnolia High School graduate, and Emilee Watson, a 2018 Emerson High School graduate, both received their academic awards in a check presentation at the downtown courthouse, while Hunter Nix of Magnolia was also named a Fair Association scholarship recipient, but the soon-to-be university freshman was not in attendance at the ceremony. Nix is also a recent Magnolia High graduate.
McDonald says she plans to attend Southern Arkansas University in Magnolia, while Watson is set to enroll at Mississippi University for Women in Columbus, Miss. Nix is also attending SAU, according to recent scholarship announcements.
“We’re just trying to help these students in any way we can,” added Caldwell.