An organizational endowment has been established with the Crawford Heritage Foundation to benefit the Meadville Area Recreation Complex (MARC). It will help the MARC to continue to provide superior exercise and leisure activities for the people of the greater Meadville area. The MARC operates the George S. DeArment Ice Arena, the George J. Barco Aquatic Center, a skate park, tennis courts, nature trail, sand volleyball courts, picnic shelters, and baseball and soccer fields.
“An endowment is an investment in a program’s long-term sustainability. The Foundation permanently invests the money it is given. Each and every year—forever—we will make grants to the MARC for a percentage of the fund’s value. As the endowment grows they will get more money to support their mission,” says Christian Maher, Executive Director of the Foundation.
Foundation directors Dwight Haas and Mark Strausbaugh gave to establish the endowment and encouraged other MARC supporters to do the same. Hagan Business Machines of Meadville, Inc. took up the challenge. They are giving the endowment 3% of the purchase price of all the color copiers and laser printers they sold in the fourth quarter of 2007—more than $3,000.
“We’re supporting the endowment to show our appreciation and to help ensure the MARC’s continued success,” says Jay Verno, President, Hagan Business Machines. “A community our size is lucky to have this resource. The sport, exercise and entertainment opportunities they offer are typically found only in larger cities. The MARC improves the greater Meadville area’s quality of life. And, it helps to attract and retain businesses and people. As a member of the MARC’s Board of Directors, I know funding is always a challenge. The endowment is one more way we keep this much-needed program viable. Hopefully, others will follow our example and give to the endowment.”
