It Takes a Village (of Non-Profit Organizations)

To The Editor:

I’m still relatively new to the non-profit space, but I’d like to commend the non-profits of Fayette and surrounding counties for their continual support for one another. It’s refreshing to see individuals involved in all different kinds of non-profit organizations come together and support one another. Maybe it is this way in all communities, but I think ours is special.

I’m the Operations Manager for the Fayette County Community Theatre (FCCT), and when our organization opened a box office and studio space, our nonprofit friends came out en masse to support our efforts. Kenny Couch, Executive Director of Habitat for Humanity of Fayette County spent hours in our new office spackling walls to prep for paint, and answering my numerous renovation questions. Melanie Ramirez, Program Director of the Stanzel Family Foundation connected us with the Parents as Teachers organization in Weimar because she and Cheryl Pekar, Stanzel ED and PAT advisory board member, knew they had some furniture we might be able to use (and we did.) Melanie also referred me to someone for a refurbished computer, and both Melanie and Cheryl came to visit and support our grand opening event.

When Kenny asked for volunteers to raise money for Habitat by jumping out of an airplane, many theatre alumni and individuals involved in other non-profits raised a hand to do just that (mine might have been trembling, but it was up!)

We’ve been able to connect with one another monthly at the Rural Non-Profit Networking Group meetings facilitated by Susannah Mikulin, Executive Director of the Fayette Community Foundation. We always come away from these meetings with new nuggets of information that will make our organizations more successful and we have the opportunity to connect with one another to see who needs what and how we can help.

It’s genuinely heartwarming to be a part of such a selfless, giving and helpful group of people.

Heather Barthelme FCCT Operations Manager