A new beginning at the Foundation

Spring has sprung. Daily we are treated to new growth. Buds have opened and become leaves and flowers. The birds’ chirping seems louder and more frequent, as they find mates and build new nests. Preparing beds for planting, pruning old growth and attacking the ubiquitous weeds began shortly after Valentine’s Day. Garden shops got busy ahead of schedule, and the sound of lawn mowers has broken the silence of Saturday mornings earlier than usual. While enjoying our gloriously warm temperatures, we wonder if a long, hot summer is in store for us as well. However, we are thrilled with the new beginnings we see all about us.

This is true for the Hot Springs Area Community Foundation as a new executive director was recently announced. Though starting a new beginning with the foundation, Joyce Whitfield is not new to our community. Many know her through her banking career and her monogramming business. She holds numerous leadership positions in her church and chaired the Cancer Society’s Daffodil Days for several years.

The role of executive director is more than performing day-by-day administrative tasks. Working with our board of directors, Whitfield will lead the effort to grow awareness of the foundation and the effort to build a strong community. Since becoming an affiliate of the Arkansas Community Foundation, nearly 100 funds have been created for charitable purposes. These funds have awarded grants of over $2 million. The foundation’s mission is threefold: 1) establish funds for charitable purposes, 2) award grants to nonprofit agencies; and 3) serve as a source for identifying and addressing needs in the community.

For further information about the community foundation, go to www.arcf.org. Click on affiliates and Hot Springs Area. Email hotspringsarea@arcf.org or call 620-4008.