CULLMAN, Ala. – Six Cullman-area organizations received grants totaling almost $22,000 from the Alabama Mountains, Rivers, & Valleys (AMRV) Resource Conservation & Development (RC&D) Council, in partnership with the Alabama Legislature this year.
The organizations, their projects and grant amounts were:
- The Link of Cullman County, Wise Up Money Skills for Teens, $2,175
- Cullman County Soil and Water Conservation District, Teachers Workshop, $2,000
- City of Good Hope, Good Hope Municipal Park trails, $5,125
- City of Hanceville, Hanceville Dog Park, $5,125
- Alabama Cooperative Extension System, Cullman RiverKids, $2,525
- The Foundry, employment readiness, $5,000
Sen. Garlan Gudger, R-Cullman; Rep. Randall Shedd, R-Fairview; Rep. Corey Harbison, R-Good Hope; and Rep. Scott Stadthagen, R-Hartselle were present for the announcement at the Cullman County Economic Development office.
Gudger said dollars come back into the districts because there are many organizations in Cullman County willing to make communities better. He said Cullman County would not be where it is without the leaders in the community creating the need and asking for funds.
“Teamwork represents Cullman County, and you are seeing that come back full circle to make Cullman a better place to live, worship, work, play, eat and be the best community it can be,” said Gudger. “We want to keep working for you and it’s an honor to be a part of the team.”
Shedd thanked AMRV RC&D and all the participants for the work they are doing in Cullman and said he is a firm believer in community projects from which the public can benefit.
“You all have done a lot of great things for our county and I appreciate you personally,” said Shedd. “We are fortunate to be in position to be in a good situation in Montgomery and help get projects completed back home.”
Longtime AMRV RC&D Board Member Robert Harbison thanked the Legislature for continuing to support RC&D in Alabama and stated that is not always the case across the country.
“Serving on the national RC&D board, we see councils across the country struggling to support local communities and that’s not the case in Alabama because of the partnership we have the Alabama Legislature,” he said.
The State of Alabama has funded RC&D for 20 years through state appropriations from the Education Trust Fund and General Fund budgets. RC&D is dedicated to protecting, enhancing, and developing the state’s natural and human resources.
The RC&D program was established by the Agriculture Act of 1962 to provide a program that empowers rural people to help themselves. RC&D areas include adjacent counties that have substantial natural resources to use for economic improvement and community betterment.
There are nine RC&D Councils throughout the state. RC&D Councils in Alabama are nonprofit, tax-exempt organizations within the state that are designated 501(c)(3) entities by the Internal Revenue Service. AMRV RC&D serves Cullman, Morgan, Lawrence, Limestone, Madison, Marshall, Dekalb and Jackson counties.
RC&D Councils are made up of citizens in an RC&D area who want a better life for themselves, their children and future generations. RC&D Council representatives and alternates are volunteers who assist RC&D.
For more information about the AMRV RC&D program, visit www.amrvrcd.org.
