MV Community Foundation elects board

Bethany (Prewitt) Patterson has been elected the new president of the Mt. Vernon Area Community Foundation.
She becomes the fifth person to hold the office in the almost 14-year history of the organization, which now has more than $2.3 million assets.
Also elected to office in 2019 by the board are: Steve Fairchild as vice-president; Micki Turner as secretary; and Joey Orr as treasurer.
Other members of the board of directors are Marie Short, Tom Wilks, Jimmy Parnell, Max Springer and Sherry Rouner.
The local Community Foundation serves northern Lawrence County, an area encompassing the Mt. Vernon and Miller school districts. It issues grants to organizations connected to local governmental bodies, public school districts or churches within its service area. Also eligible to receive funds from the foundation are federally-designated 501(c)(3) entities.
The foundation was founded in May 2005 by the late Bill Lee, who served as its first president.
Last year, the foundation gave out grants totaling more than $54,000 in grants to some 13 different groups.
The local foundation is affiliated with the Community Foundation of the Ozarks, which is based in Springfield. Alice Wingo of the CFO staff oversees the Mt. Vernon organization. Also part of CFO’s staff is 2001 Mt. Vernon High School graduate Winter (Skelton) Kinne.
Mt. Vernon is one of 49 such community foundations operating under the auspices of the Community Foundation of the Ozarks. Others in this area include Aurora, Monett, Lockwood, Sarcoxie and Cassville.
The Mt. Vernon Area Community Foundation operates the Mt. Vernon License Bureau, which is located on the top floor of the historic Lawrence County Courthouse.