Fostoria Garden Club Surprise

In preparation for its 25th anniversary, The Community Foundation board of trustees set aside $25,000 for rural communities in 2017. Through a competitive application process, three communities received grants.

The first community to receive a special anniversary grant is Fostoria. The Fostoria Garden Club had a "pipe dream" to update the landscaping around Gray Park, an area of historical significance in the Fostoria community. Recent fiscal cuts in the city have left little extra for beautification projects. The club applied for and received $2,245 to for their project, which will include planting new trees, refreshing flowerbeds and more.

"Gray Park has great historical significance for the citizens of Fostoria. The rejuvenation of the park has created much public interest and awareness of this rich history. It is once again a source of pride for our community," Carol Kinn, President of the Fostoria Garden Club.

Members of The Community Foundation staff stopped by a club meeting where members thought we'd be asking questions about the application. When they saw the balloons and the camera, reality set in quickly!

Click on each of the photos below to see a larger version.