The Rising Sun Regional Foundation (RSRF) awarded a total of $257,858 in 14 new grants at its June 27, 2012 meeting. These grants included:

• $48,730 to the Rising Sun/Ohio County Community School Corporation toward a five-year lease related to technology equipment for wireless connectivity in its three school buildings;

• $50,000 to the Ohio County Commissioners/Southeastern Indiana Solid Waste District to assist with the purchase and preparation of property to be used as a re-use/recycling facility for Ohio County residents at the Barbour Business Park;

• $9,000 to the Rising Sun United Methodist Church toward the completion of a handicap-accessible family restroom for general community use during downtown events;

• $5,500 to the Rising Sun Medical Center toward the purchase of much needed medical equipment and supplies;

• $27,577 to the City of Aurora toward the replacement of an outdated main server and related computers, especially for its police department;

• $17,256 to South Dearborn Community School Corporation toward training and technology hardware and software equipment to enable the school corporation to move toward a more extensive teacher developmental tool required by the Indiana Department of Education;

• $2,500 to the Aurora Riverfront Beautification toward expenses for its 2012 "A Roar of Thunder" regatta;

• $5,000 to Special Olympics Indiana toward the development of a new website to offer much greater accessiblity and ease of use for site visitors;

• $5,000 to the American Red Cross (Southeastern Indiana Chapter) toward the purchase of cargo trailers fully stocked with emergency shelter supplies for a more rapid response and delivery of services in response to natural disasters;

• $9,295 to the Sunman Dearborn Athletic Association toward the replacement of a scoreboard and updated above ground electrical wiring to enable the Sunman Elementary School to better host baseball and football games;

• $17,000 to the Milan Community School Corporation toward the historic restoration of the orginal banners awarded for the Milan ‘53 finalist and '54 state championship basketball teams’ achievements;

• $18,000 to Community Mental Health Center in the form of a challenge grant toward the furnishing of a new Transitional Age Youth Housing Program apartment complex in Batesville constructed through the receipt of major state grants;

• $3,000 to the Ripley County Amateur Radio Club toward the purchase of an enclosed trailer to better enable it to provide (HAM) radio emergency communication services during natural disasters when other types of electric/telecommunications systems have been disabled; and

• $40,000 to Goldenvilla, Inc. toward a state matching grant for a large renovation project to its facility in Batesville, which provides affordable housing for its income-qualified elderly and disabled clientele in Ripley County.

In announcing the awarding of these new grants, foundation President Marianne Wiggers stated, "RSRF has once again been challenged to effectively react to a wide variety of special needs in its grant making region."

As can be seen in the awarded grants," she added, "the board works diligently in creatively and purposefully responding to these needs in a difficult economic environment and within its limited grants budget."

The Rising Sun Regional Foundation was created in 1994 by the City of Rising Sun in conjunction with the development of the Grand Victoria Casino and Resort by the Hyatt Corporation. The foundation began its grantmaking program in early 1997, which it has continued to implement.

It is now funded by the Rising Star Casino Resort, owned by Full House Resorts, Inc., which makes monthly contributions to the foundation based on a percentage of its adjusted gross revenue.