Nevada County Picayune and Gurdon Times Newspaper Archive

Gurdon Groups To Benefit From International Paper Grants

International Paper's Gurdon Wood Products Plant will award $15,000 in 1999 grants through the International Paper Company Foundation.

One public service organization in the Gurdon community along with four Gurdon Public school teachers will receive the IP grants for new or expanded programs in education, environmental awareness and community and arts.

"These International Paper Company Foundation grants represent one way our Gurdon Wood Products team can be a good neighbor," said Ron Freer, plant manager. "Through financial grants and volunteer efforts of our employees, we can help create a better quality of life in the Gurdon community."

Grant recipients, amounts funded and intended use are:

• Clark County Youth Development Center, $3,000 to fund the HIPPY and recreation programs for children ages 5-12; and
• EDCORE grant recipients, amounts funded, type grant and coordinators: Cabe Middle School, $1,000 Hineman Teacher Fellowship, Jean Smithey; Gurdon Primary School, $1,000 Hineman Teacher Fellowship, Sherry Karr; and Gurdon Primary School, $9,000 School-Wide Redesign grant, Rita Roe.

"The value of foundation grants goes beyond just providing dollars to a non-profit organization,"Freer added. "It is a continued partnership to help respond to the needs of our community. As our chairman and CEO, John Dillon has said we must be good citizens who actively participate in our communities.

"Foundation grants and the support of employees are two means of accomplishing this important company-wide objective," Freer said.

In 1999 International Paper Company Foundation grants totaled more than $3.5 million to communities throughout the U.S. The funds include giving to non-profit organizations; the Education Community Resources program; the employee volunteer program; matching employee contributions to institutions of higher education; contributions to the National 4-H program; and donations to the joint Council on Economic Education.

The International Paper Company Foundation was founded in 1953 as a philanthropic grant-making organization. While the foundation provides financial support to various community, cultural and environmental programs, its primary focus is education, especially pre- collegiate education in communities where company employees live and work.