Less than three months after the Carter Family Foundation issued a challenge grant to the people of Summers County, gifts and pledges to the Hinton Area Foundation indicate that two parts of the three-part challenge are likely to be met in the near future. The three parts of the challenge grant encouraged the creation of new endowed funds ($100,000), additions to existing funds ($50,000), and additions to Hinton Area Foundation’s unrestricted endowment ($50,000), which supports annual grants to individuals and organizations in Summers County. The challenge to raise funds for existing endowments now stands at $48,400, only $1,600 from completion. One gift has been received for unrestricted endowment, the fund used to support multiple causes in our community. Debbie Clark, president of HAF, said that these funds, although among the most difficult to raise, provide the flexibility to meet urgent but unforeseen needs in the community. She said that she intended to ask the HAF board to use its collective creative imagination in devising ways to fashion the third leg of this three-legged stool. In its proposal to the Carter Foundation, HAF indicated that it would search for 1,000 donors to meet the most difficult part of the challenge, a true “grass roots” effort. “With one gift in hand, we’re emboldened to think that we can find 999 others to join in this effort,” Clark said. “Still, we realize that such broad support may be unprecedented in our community.” The new funds and additions to existing ones is significant because of the opportunities and beneficial work enabled. A country church will be maintained, students who wish to study music in college will be supported, aspiring teachers and business leaders of the future will be given a boost, Concord and Marshall students can be helped, upkeep of historic cemeteries will be provided, scholar-athletes from Summers County High School will receive scholarships, and future farmers will be aided in their preparation to work the land. If you are interested in helping, please call Ann Tassos at 304-466-5332 or Jerry Beasley at 304-921-5995. You may also mail contribution to HAF, P.O. Box 217, Hinton, WV 25951.