(Versailles, IN) – A total of $525,535 in grants was awarded to 10 non-profit organizations in the Versailles area Saturday night at the 168th birthday celebration for Uncle Jim Tyson in the Tyson Methodist Church sanctuary.
Tyson Fund Trustees received 12 requests totaling more than $620,930 this year and selected 10 of the dozen to be voted on by the citizens of Versailles, per Mr. Tyson’s Last Will and Testament. The trustees were only able to fully fund six of the requests, and two others were turned down.
The following organizations were awarded 2024 Tyson Fund grants:
- Child Evangelism Fellowship – $3,800 to help fund the summer camps and Good News Clubs at South Ripley Schools.
- Ripley County Historical Society – $3,200 to repair flooring in the museum where leaks had occurred.
- Main Street Versailles – $6,535 to support the many programs, events, and other activities the group sponsors throughout the year, such as the Fun Run, Versailles Pumpkin Show baking contest, Farmers Market and Home for the Holidays.
- Ripley County Community Foundation (RCCF) – $12,000 to fund Genesis: Pathways to Success programs in Versailles sponsored by the RCCF during the upcoming year, including Kids Building Bikes, Mobile Aquatics, Robotics Camp and Cooking Camp.
- Ripley County Tourism (Wreaths Across America) – $2,000 to help fund the laying of wreaths at veterans’ gravesites in Cliff Hill Cemetery.
- Town of Versailles – $285,000 to improve infrastructure, including the town’s water/sewer systems; to match Community Crossing funds for street repair; a new barn; water meters; a down payment on a new dump truck, and a water bond payment.
- Tyson Activity Center (TAC) – $30,000 to continue programming TAC provides to Versailles residents throughout the year.
- Tyson Library Association – $145,000 to continue programming for the Library and the citizens of Versailles.
- Versailles Fire Department – $25,000 for a payment on the 2006 rescue truck that was purchased in 2020.
- Versailles Lions Club – $13,000 to help offset the cost of entertainment at the 2024 Versailles Pumpkin Show.
The man known as “Uncle Jim” used $74,000 in Walgreens stock in 1930 to set up a trust fund that specifically benefits the citizens of his hometown. The fund is a gift to the community for religious, literary, educational and social advancement in the Town of Versailles and vicinity, with a goal of providing relief from the burden of taxation for residents.
The distribution is made each year on Mr. Tyson’s birthdate, which is September 14.
