The Mason County 4-H Endowment Fund was created through a challenge grant awarded to the Mason County 4-H Leaders’ Association from the Gordon C. and Mildred R. Jackson Foundation. Its challenge was to raise $5,000 by December 31, 2007, to establish a fund with the Mason County Community Foundation, an affiliate of the Parkersburg Area Community Foundation. The purpose of this fund is to support Mason County 4-H.
In 2006, the Mason County 4-H Leaders’ Association was able to successfully complete this match, and established the Mason County 4-H Endowment Fund. In December of 2006, the Jackson Foundation awarded the 4-H Leaders’ Association for its success with $5,000 in matching monies to put in the fund.
“This challenge grant gave us the opportunity to let the community know more about our program, what we offer to 4-H members and how we can make it better,” said Lorrie Wright, Program Assistant for Mason County 4-H. “With the grant money in place, we will be able to increase our members’ participation in state activities by providing scholarships that we may not have been able to offer in the past.”