We need YOU (and your ideas)!

Did you know that 64% of Georgia’s children are not reading proficiently by the end of third grade? The same is true for our community here in Dalton and Whitfield County.

We need to fix this problem and get Dalton/Whitfield READING — that’s why we need you to attend the Literacy for All Summit on Tuesday, November 27, 2018 from 10 AM to 1 PM at Dalton State College, Brown 105 located at 650 College Dr., Dalton, GA 30720. Lunch will be provided.

Please join us as we brainstorm the issues with community stakeholders and education experts from across the state. We will close the meeting with an action plan to get Dalton/Whitfield reading.

Presented by the Community Foundation of Northwest Georgia, Believe Greater Dalton, Dalton State College, and Literacy for All.

Can you (will you) help us? Click HERE (https://tinyurl.com/y79jws4o) for more information or to RSVP.

Jennifer Grafe and three young art collectors admire a decorative sculpture at the Creative Arts Guild's annual FESTIVAL.

From listening to a spirited bluegrass band play at Burr Performing Arts Park to browsing the expansive cowboy art collection at the Booth Western Art Museum to exploring the whimsical stone structures of Calhoun’s Rock Garden, our region celebrates creative expression with a healthy appreciation for music, visual arts, dance, and plays.

Promoting the arts is part of who we are, and our Foundation places great importance on partnering with and assisting organizations and projects that advocate for arts and culture.

To commemorate our twenty-year history of advancing local philanthropy, we are posting special reflections for twenty weeks. Today, we present a selection of twenty Community Foundation grants that have helped fuel the vibrant arts and culture scene in Northwest Georgia.

1.       Artistic Civic Theatre (ACT) — in 2013, the Dalton-Whitfield affiliate awarded a grant to help fund the replacement of the ACT stage.

2.       Gordon Central Performing Arts — in 2013, the Calhoun-Gordon affiliate awarded a grant to help bring professional voice coaches to Gordon Central High School to work privately with students in the performing arts program at the school.

3.       Bluegrass Bands Helping Hands — in 2013, the Dalton-Whitfield affiliate awarded a grant to help fund the Woodsongs Coffee House Concert Series fundraiser (proceeds benefiting the DEO Clinic).

4.       Art of Giving — in 2013, the Foundation awarded a grant to host the Art of Giving competition, which invited members of the community to create art that demonstrated a “giving community.”

5.       Seventh-day Adventist Church (The Rock Garden) — in 2013, the Calhoun-Gordon affiliate awarded a grant to help build a large, raised gazebo in The Rock Garden allowing the garden to be used for events like concerts and weddings.

6.       Burr Performing Arts Park — in 2017, Foundation Fund Advisor Jeanne Burr made a significant gift to build a park in Downtown Dalton.

7.       Creative Arts Guild — in 2014, the Dalton-Whitfield affiliate awarded a grant to the Creative Arts Guild to help fund their summer FESTIVAL. Through the years, our Foundation has awarded thousands of dollars in grants to help the CAG continue their mission of promoting the arts throughout Northwest Georgia.

8.       Oscar N. Jonas Foundation — in 2014, the Dalton-Whitfield affiliate awarded a grant to help fund the ON Jonas Foundation’s Artist in Residency Program to help expose students in Whitfield and Murray County schools to the arts.

9.       Royal Oaks — in 2014, the Dalton-Whitfield affiliate awarded a grant to help fund “An Exploration of Appalachian Culture Through Arts” program, which included bluegrass music, Celtic music, and pottery demonstrations.

10.   1000 Words — Dalton Public Art Project—in 2015, the Dalton-Whitfield affiliate awarded a grant to help fund public art projects and murals around Dalton.

11.   Booth Western Art Museum — in 2015, the Cartersville-Bartow affiliate awarded a grant to help with transportation costs to bring buses of children from schools to the museum to experience the collection. Through the years, the Foundation has awarded several grants to the Booth to help promote art appreciation throughout the region.

12.   Downtown Dalton Development Authority — in 2015, the Dalton-Whitfield affiliate awarded a grant to help fund the Liberty Tree Festival, a music and arts and crafts festival that draws thousands of visitors each year.

13.   Burr Performing Arts Park — in 2018, in partnership with the Dalton Convention and Visitors Center and the Downtown Dalton Development Authority, the Foundation awarded a grant to help fund thirteen performances at the new Burr performing Arts Park.

14.   Bartow Arts Guild — in 2005, our Catersville-Bartow affiliate awarded a gift to the Bartow Arts Guild to help them fulfill their mission of promoting the arts.

15.   Woodland High School Drama Department — our Cartersville-Bartow affiliate awarded a grant to help fund a program sponsored by the drama department at Woodland High.

16.   Calhoun Arts Council — In 2009, our Calhoun-Gordon affiliate awarded a grant to help further the mission of the Calhoun Arts Council in Gordon County.

17.   Pumphouse Players — the Cartersville-Bartow affiliate awarded a grant to the Pumphouse Players, one of Georgia’s oldest community theatre groups.

18.   Howard Finster’s Paradise Gardens — the Foundation awarded a grant to help Paradise Gardens to open the other side of their Air Bed & Breakfaast, which they use to raise funds to maintain Finster’s art garden and surrounding structures.

19.   Thrive Regional Partnership — In 2017, the Dalton-Whitfield affiliate awarded a grant to the Partnership to help further its visioning work in Northwest Georgia.

20.   Dalton Little Theatre — the Dalton-Whitfield affiliate awarded a grant a few years ago to restore the theatre seats at the Dalton Little Theatre.

Thank you for being part of the Foundation’s history. Please help us share our story by sharing our posts with others. And as always, if we can be of service to you, your family, or your company, please contact us at (706) 275-9117.

by DAVID AFT

People often ask me, "What does the Community Foundation do?"

We do a lot, and the answer is not easily condensed down to one or two easy-to-understand sentences. So I tend to use examples of our work to demonstrate who we are and what we do. 

For example, our Foundation is a champion for literacy in Bartow County where we've awarded grants to purchase a book mobile and support book programs for young children living in low-income neighborhoods. Our Foundation awarded significant grants to help build both the Harris Radiation Therapy Center and the Calhoun Aquatic Center in Gordon County, and we will soon tackle the community-wide hunger problem. In Whitfield County, our Foundation is working with a local philanthropist to build a performing arts park in downtown Dalton.

Again, we do a lot.

Through our work with local nonprofit organizations, we often advise them to formulate an elevator pitch -  a brief, persuasive speech designed to spark interest in what the organization does in just a minute or two. But we, too, needed an elevator pitch.

We designed a 1-minute animated video to help explain our work.

Please take 60 seconds and watch our video and let us know what you think.

David Aft is the president of the Community Foundation of Northwest Georgia. He has worked in the nonprofit field for over twenty-five years and is a recognized resource and noted speaker on charitable enterprise, civics, fundraising strategy and community development.

by David Aft

Several days ago, I opened a copy of the Dalton Daily Citizen and was greeted by a picture of Dalton residents Charlie Miller and Burt Wingfield. The headline of the accompanying article read “Churches Join Forces to Help Local Woman”. The story detailed the work of the Dalton First United Methodist’s men’s mission and their work with a recent roofing repair project.

The fact that the “United Methodist Men,” as they often refer to themselves, were making a difference wasn’t a surprise, as they are an active and wonderful group of parishioners who consistently help those in need. The notable aspect of this article was that it reminded me that Charlie Miller was still active with this organization after many years of involvement. Miller, who has been active in many local charities including the Community Foundation and the United Way was still engaged in the humanitarian efforts of the First Methodist church over twenty years after agreeing to get involved.

While Miller has been an active volunteer with many organizations and causes, his lengthy tenure with the United Methodist Men provides a great example of a good fit between volunteer and organization.

We all get involved in projects—some big, some small. Some are terms on boards of directors or serving as host parents for Rotary International exchange students visiting from abroad. While many of these activities are rewarding, they may not be a gateway to a twenty-year commitment. Sometimes, the fit isn’t right. This can happen for a number of reasons and I’ll have to devote a different blog post to that. Some volunteers walk away from these imperfect experiences with little interest in finding a new one.

You may need to try a few different projects or committee positions before you find one that fits. The key, as with most things, is to not walk away if your first experience is less than satisfying, but to keep trying new experiences. If you do your homework, work hard to understand your own needs and motivations and remain open to new opportunities, I am confident you will find that “perfect fit”.

I know Charlie has enjoyed his work with many local charities, but his long-term affiliation with the United Methodist Men will stand as testament to the fact that it may take a few tries, but like Charlie, you, too will eventually find a satisfying and rewarding experience that sings to your soul.

David Aft is the president of the Community Foundation of Northwest Georgia. He has worked in the nonprofit field for over twenty-five years and is a recognized resource and noted speaker on charitable enterprise, civics, fundraising strategy and community development.