SAU’s Making Magnolia Blossom earned statewide recognition in 2015 for its work in the Magnolia community and collected two local donations totaling $11,000 to help fund projects moving forward.
Deana Taylor and Aaron and Dr. Viktoriya Street accepted on behalf of the MMB leadership team at SAU the Volunteer of the Year Award given by the Arkansas Economic Development Commission. The award was presented by Cammie Hambrice of the Magnolia Economic Development Corporation at the AEDC’s conference in Fayetteville in August.
“I am very proud of what they have done in our community. When you have a job working in economic development, you hear people say ‘you know what you oughta do…’ For someone to come up and say ‘you know what we would like to do…’ and then get with it is really refreshing in a small community like Magnolia,” said Hambrice to the crowd during her presentation at the awards lunch.
Two anonymous contributions totaling $11,000 were also recently donated to MMB from local supporters. These funds will help ensure that this community organization’s work will continue to thrive into 2016.
The first big event for MMB this year is scheduled for April 2, during which volunteers will complete cleanup projects on Jackson Street, at the CCAPS Animal Shelter, and other areas all across town. Volunteer registration is available at www.MagnoliaBlossom.org.
Donations to MMB are tax-deductible and provide MMB with equipment and supplies to organize volunteer initiatives aimed at improving Magnolia’s community and economic infrastructure. To contribute or find out more, contact Deana Taylor at 870-235-4922 or DeanaTaylor@SAUmag.edu. Checks can be mailed to Making Magnolia Blossom, Attn: Deana Taylor, 100 East University, MSC 9412, Magnolia AR, 71753.
Donors of $10 or more will receive an MMB tee-shirt that reads, “Dirty shirt. Clean city.”
Making Magnolia Blossom is a community-involvement organization at Southern Arkansas University. A group of staff, faculty, and students started MMB in 2014, and more than 500 volunteers from SAU and the community contributed time and effort at the initial Big Splash Saturday event. Since then, MMB has hosted a Spring Edition of Big Splash, as well as several Second Saturday events which partner with area organizations to complete needed projects.
