By Laura Fitzgerald

The Marysville Community Fund gave out $25,000 in grants to 10 groups and nonprofits at the Marysville High School football game on August 29^th.  

“It was a great evening to celebrate philanthropy in Marysville,” said Nick Beaudry, Chair of the Marysville Community Fund Committee. “Following up the 100 year anniversary for the City of Marysville earlier this year, we’re really happy to help people give back to their hometown.”

The local organizations receiving grants at the game were:

• A Beautiful Me: $4,000 for mini assemblies
• City of Marysville Fire Department: $3,000 for thermal cameras
• Marysville Band Boosters: $1,000 in general support
• Marysville Lions: $3,800 to improve the Riverlawn Cemetery military monument
• Marysville Little League: $1,000 in general support
• Marysville High School: $5,000 for a Digital Wall of Fame
• Marysville Robotics Club: $1,000 in general support
• Marysville Rotary: $4,000 for Kits for a Cause
• Marysville United Methodist: $1,200 for Treats and Treasure
• SOS Marysville Food Pantry: $1,000 in general support

Marysville Lions Club will finish a project to provide better access for all ages and abilities to the military monument in Riverlawn Cemetery. The club erected the monument in 1947 to honor seven young men that died in World War Two. Three more young men were added to the plaque after their deaths in the Vietnam War.

The club will clean and refresh the plaque, add a handicap-accessible concrete sidewalk, add a circle around the flagpole and add a bench to allow guests to sit and reflect.

“Marysville Lions Members are very proud to be able form collaborative and positive partnerships that allow us to serve our community. This project is another example of how we try to improve our community in a variety of ways. Without the grant, the project timeline would have need to be extended,” said Lions Club Representative Kirk Smith. “As our Marysville community celebrates 100 years, this project is an opportunity to recognize and appreciate the ultimate sacrifices made by our military personnel. The freedoms we enjoy today must always be remembered.”

The Marysville Community fund is one of three local community funds in St. Clair County, managed by the Community Foundation. These community funds are governed by local residents, and help donors give back to their favorite causes that impact their hometown. The Algonac/Clay Community Fund and the St. Clair Endowments are the other two.

Other Community Funds

Serving the City of St. Clair, St. Clair Township, China Township and East China Township, the collection of funds that make up the St. Clair Endowments first began in the late 1990’s.

Will Oldford is Chair of the St. Clair Endowments and said the funds currently have about $13 million in endowed assets. Some of the larger projects the fund has supported include Klecha Park, the tennis courts at the high school, the courtyard and parking lot at Riverview Plaza and the Imagination Station at Grieg Park.

Further south in the County, the communities of Algonac and Clay have had their own local charitable fund since 2004 with an initial donation from Citizens Bank. Fund treasurer Bill Gratopp estimates between $10,000 and $15,000 is granted to the community each year. 

Past recipients include Girl Scouts, Boy Scouts, the local library And the Clay Township Police Department. The Algonac Clay Community fund also assists in administering two scholarships: the Vera Fuller Hansen Scholarship for young people pursuing their passions; and the Joseph Caimi Scholarship for graduates of Algonac High School with a focus on students majoring in education. 

Marysville Community Fund

The Marysville fund was established in 2015 with a $25,000 grant from DTE energy. This year, organizers are aiming to near $100,000 in grants donated over the life of the fund, said Beaudry.

Last spring, the fund donated $2,500 each in general support to the Marysville High School Marching Band, the SOS Food Pantry and the Marysville Lion Club at the City’s 100-year anniversary celebration. 

The fund has also provided assistance for a senior vision screening program with the Marysville Lions Club, upgrades to the travel trailer for Marysville Schools Robotics teams and youth programming at local elementary schools through A Beautiful Me. 

Charitable Giving in Your Hometown

The Community Foundation of St. Clair County manages hundreds of endowment funds that support every aspect of life in St. Clair County, including the three community specific funds mentioned here.  

If you are interested in giving back to your hometown, or other favorite charity or program, visit one of these links:

• www.stclairfoundation.org
• Marysville Community Fund
• St. Clair Endowments
• Algonac Clay Community Fund