2015-2016 Annual Report

                                                                Envision Opelika Foundation Inc.

                                                                           Annual Report

                                                           October 1, 2015-September 30, 2016

Board

  •  New board members elected:  Tim Gore, James Thrift, Phillip Preston, Aaron Bushey

Web Site

  •  Collaborations attempted with Round House
  • Working with Dale Vaughn and V3Media
  • Guest Presenter:  Chris Call and Trey Gallant on Imagine Opelika
  • Continued working to establish website

Task forces

  1.  Opelika Character Council
  2.     Approved the Character trait words for the year with the school system
  3.   Continued the character signs in all the schools, Sportsplex, and Police Department
  4.  Held the Bison Stampede with Southern Union to raise funds for the Southern Union Foundation and the Opelika Character Council
  5.   Recognized students on the honor roll at OMS
  6.  Honored students with Perfect Attendance at OHS  with a cookout at lunchtime
  7.  Had proclamation presented by Mayor Fuller to proclaim Character Day in Opelika on National Character Day in September
  8. Determined to have essay contests with school students (9 schools)and award special coin to winners
  9. Decided on design of character coin to purchase to give to students 
  10. Created a facebook page for Opelika Character Council
  11. Participated in National Night Out with a $200 donation and a tent with volunteers and handouts 
  •  Cultural Arts Center
  • Signage postponed due to changes in name and work on redesign of the front
  • Name changed in agreement with Arts Association of East Alabama to Southside Center for the Arts
  • New Lease Agreement between City, AAEA and Envision
  • Engineering drawings completed for the front loop, drop-off driveway and handicap ramp
  • U.S. Flag presented to Center by Congressman Mike Rogers
  • Alabama Flag presented to Center by Senator Tom Whatley
  • Opelika Theatre Company presents Children’s Summer Play and holds summer art camp
  • Revamped outside bathroom, installing new water lines for use by Community Garden workers and Farmers Market Vendors.
  • Agreed for O’Grows to come under Envision Opelika
  • Education, Family and Youth Development
  •  Working on a vision statement for this work
  • Working on Collective Impact and its Component parts
  • Idea Gatherings on Fatherhood Initiative, Quality Pre-K, Environmental Campaigns/Communities of Hope
  • Mapping Cradle to Career Track
  • Visited Circles of Troop County 
  • Identifying resources for the Family Resource Center Circles Program
  • Created an ad hoc committee for Babies/2017
  • Added new members to the task force
  • Arts and Entertainment
  • Supported arts events downtown and with arts association
  •  Received Grant for Downtown Entertainment and re-granted it to Opelika Main Street to be used at Concourse South
  • Keeping apprised of the Art Line and how best to support it.
  • Recreation, Health, Wellness & Environmental Green Space
  • Guest presenter:  Matt Battles from Opelika Parks and Recreation gave an update on Floral Park plans
  • Brainstorming how to best help with this project
  • Neighborhood Development/Housing
  • Guest Presenters at Board Meetings:
  • Sherrie McCollum – Broker First Realty
  • Bill Price – Agent First Realty
  • Michael Monk – Michael Allen Homes
  • Meetings to help determine how to get new developments and housing into Opelika that will bring young families