ENVISION OPELIKA FOUNDATION, INC.
ANNUAL REPORT
OCTOBER 1, 2016 – SEPTEMBER 30, 2017
Board Members: Tom Tippett, Chair; Trip Garner, Vice-Chair; Lisa Ruffin, Secretary; Matthew Battles; Aaron Bushey; Kenneth Burton; Tommy Cummings; JArthur Grubbs; Dora James; Richard Patton; Bill Parker; Sally Phillips; Amy Rogers; James Thrift ; Phillip Preston, Ex-officio; Barbara Patton, Ex-officio & Executive Director.
Formal Task Forces
Character Council
Education, Family, & Youth Development
Arts & Entertainment
Contracts with the City
Contract for Services renewed with the City of Opelika
Envision Opelika Web Site
Continued conversation with Round House to develop website. Round House no longer in business so the project was reset. JArthur continues to guide this project.
Character Council
Character “coin” project was initiated and given out
Bison Unity Stampede, a joint fund-raising event with Southern Union, was held again this year
OHS Perfect Attendance Cook-out and OMS Honor Roll Breakfast event held
Essay winners in the City Schools awarded character coin
National Night Out supported and balloons released at event with character words
Continued emphasis of the character word of the month with City Schools and other entities
Presentation to the Interstate Character Council Annual Luncheon in September
Southside Center for the Arts
Lease from Heritage Baptist continues.
O’Grows, an Envision Affiliate, continues hosting the Farmers Market, maintaining the Community Garden, and raising funds to help with the renovation of the facility.
Roof on south el wing is damaged. Insurance pays for reroofing with payment of $5000.00 deductible.
Alabama State Council on the Arts holds its meeting at the Center March 9th & 10th.
Alabama State Council on the Arts announces award of $30,000 grant to Envision for North Wing renovation
Arts and Entertainment
Envision supports Cottonseed Studios’ August Concourse South Festival along with EAA and its downtown concerts
Formal Committee formed and first meeting in May
Lisa Thrift, Community Development Director of the City of Opelika, presents Mural Project to Committee
Committee agrees to support murals with letter, pending approval of the Board
Perspective Magazine of OHS bought and distributed.
Housing
Interview with Dan Kennefick, Lee County Developer and Custom Home builder,
Derek Lee, Director of OPS, gave us a history of OPS and answered questions concerning housing price ranges, the partnership with Opelika City Schools for state of the art educational technology. OPS ONE is the marketing ploy.
Education, Family and Youth Development
Researches programs for moving families out of poverty.
Determines Circles USA as best program to use to move families out of poverty.
Affirmation of the Circles program through visits and consults with national program and a local LaGrange, Georgia program.
Circles approved by the board.
Tom Tippett, Trip Garner, Chelsea Neighbors, Antoine Harvest, and Barbara Patton develop presentation to present to various entities. Presentations made to Southern Union, Lee County Ministerial Alliance, Family and Child Resource Center with support promised. Other presentations made to Mayor Fuller, Council President Eddie Smith, Jimmy Wright, Opelika Chamber President Pam Powers Smith. Budgets developed and fund-raising planned with first ask and presentation to EAMC.
Tom presents Circles on WANI
Downtown Development
Carla Nelson, new director of Opelika Main Street, reported on the work of Main Street
New Affiliation:
Special Needs Children’s Christmas Party – Envision votes to serve as fiscal agent and manage a pass-through account for their event held in December.