Additional grants bring Heritage Center closer to groundbreaking
By CHRIS BARBEE cbarbee@leader-news.com

The El Campo Heritage Center is gaining more grant funding, meaning the facility is growing closer to becoming a reality, board members said.

El Campo Heritage Center board members learned recently they were successful applicants for a $50,000 grant from the Meadows Foundation of Dallas.

A $5,000 grant was also recently received from the Trull Foundation in Matagorda County. Combined with grants from the Johnson Foundation and Gulf Coast Medical Foundation, total grants received for the Heritage Center project now stand at $255,000, according to Rita Radley, treasurer of the organization and chief grant writer.

The Meadows Foundation grants committee expressed its delight in the opportunity to partner with the Heritage Center in planning this center for adults in El Campo, Carolyn Goelzer, publicity chair for the center, said.

The grant is to be used for construction purposes and will be a significant help in the renovation of the old Northside Elementary School cafeteria into the Heritage Center, Radley said.

One stipulation of the Meadows Foundation was that the building, which was owned by Northside Center Inc., be owned by the Heritage Center.

That was accomplished, thus clearing the way for the Meadows funds, Radley said. The Heritage Center now holds the deed to the property.

This center, located at 803 Fahrenthold next the Boys & Girls Club, targets citizens 50 years and above, and will be used to enhance both the social and health opportunities of people in this area.

Fundraisers, such as the annual Cattle Call banquets, have also raised money for the $640,000 project, with a loan being taken out to get work under way.

"We are still counting on some additional help because we have had to borrow some money to get started," Radley said.

She said she hopes the Rotary Club, for example, will adopt the center as one of its project once the El Campo Aquatic Center is paid off.

Radley said the only thing keeping BLS Construction from getting to work is permitting. She said both city and state permits are required. The board had hoped to begin construction in January, but now feel they are now looking toward a February groundbreaking.

"We are only waiting on permits to start," Radley said.

Radley, who was the Heritage Center board's first vice president (the first president was her granddaughter, Terri Jones; that position is now held by Teresa McNew) said the grant was the result of a year's worth of work to meet all of the requirements needed to receive the grant. A major requirement was taking ownership of the building.

"I've been hearing of people who have moved to El Campo because their children live here. What do they do? How do they make friends?

"This will provide an opportunity for people to come and visit and meet people. There will be a room with exercise machines, a card room and a domino area, a pool table area, a craft area. The AARP can meet there. Different groups can use it," Radley said.

"And the grand meeting hall will be large enough to be used for seminars and receptions.

"It will be a first class facility. It will probably be nicer than anything else in town."