Kiwanis hear about Mabank Education Foundation goals
By Kerry Yancey
Monitor Staff Writer
GUN BARREL CITY–A foundation set up to provide grants to teachers who “think outside the box” when it comes to innovative teaching techniques is gathering more applications, Cedar Creek Lake Kiwanis members heard Wednesday.
Chrissy Adams, vice president of the Mabank Education Foundation (MEF), gave a broad outline of the foundation’s practices at the Kiwanis club’s weekly luncheon.
Established in 2009, the Foundation is a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization that generates grant funding for projects where tax dollars are not available, Adams explained.
The MEF is not connected to the Mabank Independent School District. A 14-member board of directors, made up of business and community leaders headed by long-time Tri-County Ford dealership owner Andrea Pickens, oversees the grant program.
Through Tri-County Ford and the Ford Motor Company, visitors to the annual area chamber of commerce car show and Kiwanis Krawfish Boil May 7 were able to test-drive new vehicles. For every qualified test drive, Ford donated up to $30 to the Foundation.
A check from Ford for $8,000 to the MEF is expected to arrive in six to eight weeks, Adams reported.
“The Mabank Youth Basketball Association gave us $5,000 in seed money, and we went public in the spring of 2010,” Adams said.
A nearly $13,000 Palmer grant was obtained in October, adding to the kitty.
Teachers with innovative ideas and projects apply for MEF grants, which are awarded on a merit basis, using a published scoring system, she explained.
So far, the MEF has issued 26 grants, totaling about $68,000, she said.
“We are looking for ‘outside the box’ programs to motivate (students), and get them excited to learn,” Adams said.
Teachers whose grant requests are denied each receive a letter explaining why the project was turned down, and they are able to re-submit revised applications, she said.
“We will be doing a grant workshop to provide information on application standards,” Adams said.
Nobody knows who will get grants until an announcement is made on that campus – typically, it’s a surprise announcement in the middle of a campus-wide activity, she added.
In this spring’s competition, eight of 11 grants were awarded funding (about $15,000), of which four (almost $8,000) went to teachers at the Central Elementary campus.
One of those grants will help build an education garden – a round garden planter split in to “pie slices,” one for each grade, pre-K through fourth, Adams said.
“The kids are starting their own planning (on what will go into the garden),” she noted.
As envisioned, the garden will have seats around it so teachers can relax there during their off periods, Adams added.
An Intermediate School teacher requested $1,500 to bring professional athlete, motivational speaker and author Tim Green to the school.
Green set up his appearance, then donated his speaking fee back to the MEF, Adams said.
Another funded project will have junior high and high school communications students working together to produce a morning talk show airing on the junior high campus TV system, she noted.
“We are not here to provide basic supplies,” she pointed out. “We’re here for the teachers, and we’re here for the kids.”
The MEF website, www.mabankisdeducation foundation.com, offers a “sponsorship wall,” based on five levels of contributions.
“You can make a one-time donation, or you can set it up to be spread out over five years,” Adams said.
In club business, members:
• heard a final tally on funds raised during the Krawfish Boil was still incomplete, but it appears the club did quite well on the fundraiser.
• were reminded the May 15 meeting will feature Lt. Gov. Bobbie Hawkins of Athens, who will officially induct new club members.

Local cities see growing increase in rebate checks
By Barbara Gartman
Monitor Staff Writer
CEDAR CREEK LAKE–Most lake-area cities saw an increase in their May sales rebate checks, compared to the rebates they received in May, 2010, albeit some increases were rather small.
Rebates sent to each city by the State Comptroller’s office in May represent that city’s share of tax collected on sales made in March and reported in April.
Gun Barrel City collected .06 percent more (a dollar increase of $192) for this May than the same period last year. The city’s overall payment for the month was $318,756.
Mabank received a check for $108,132, a 5.5 percent increase (or $5,613) more than received last May.
The largest year-to-year percentage increase went to the cities of Payne Springs (27 percent) and Trinidad (16 percent).
Payne Springs city secretary Karen Juica says the sales tax boost is “great.”
“We know at some point, it’s going to level off, but until then we are real happy,” Juica said.
“The Dollar Store is selling quite a lot. Things fly off the shelf as fast as they’re brought in,” she explained. “And we have a couple of businesses coming in that will keep the increase going.”
Most of Payne Springs’ May rebate check for $10,317 will go into the city’s general fund, which pays salaries and general expenses.
“At least 1/4 percent is added to the budgeted amount for upkeep of the roads,” Juica explained. “It may be small, but every little bit helps.”
Only four cities received smaller rebate checks this May, compared to last year – Eustace, Log Cabin, Malakoff and Seven Points.
The smallest percentage loss was 1.24 percent (equal to just under $500) for Seven Points, while the largest percentage loss was 13.41 percent (equal to $807.33) for Eustace.