2019 Fund Drive letter
2017 Fund Drive letter
Dear Neighbor:
The plans for this year are amazing. With 10 years behind us, we have arrived at the year when growth and opportunity abound. We are again writing to you to ask for your support of the Rockfish Valley Foundation.
We wish to thank you for your support in the past. It has made a difference. We hope you will support the 2016-2017 Fund Drive which will end February 28, 2017.
The good news is that this year we have so far raised $26,000 of the $31,000 we need to fund our operating and program costs of $25,000 plus the $6000 in matching funds needed to qualify for the $30,000 recreational trail monies granted by the VA Dept of Conservation and Recreation.
So far we have built the Spruce Creek Bridge and installed the bones for the Children’s Nature Trail and Native Plant Walk. Also we undertook the Tract Trail and the Camille Trail thru the Blue Ridge Parkway Foundation.
We have identified 11 important projects totaling over $34,000 to complete with use of the grant funds. A couple of the projects are: a storage shed, a trail mower, split rail fencing and a gate at Glenthorne, Spruce Creek Park trail signage, a Nelson geology kiosk, improvements to trail walks to comply with the Americans for Disability Act, and an improved RT 151 entrance and parking.
Our environmental literacy focus is making huge strides. We have a liaison teacher with the Nelson Schools, and 4 more programs on the drawing board for 2017 including a repeat of Nelson Naturally Day, Arbor Day, Kite Festival competition, and a valley history writing project. As for RVF programs we have several under preparation including a seminar on invasive plants and a tour and community celebration at another historic house similar to what we did at Three Chimneys. We hope we can fund all of these projects!
Your RVF committees are in high gear and ready to act when the budget funds are secured. I am reaching out to you as past donors in hopes you might make a gift.
Please enjoy a look at the upgrade to our website: www.rockfishvalley.org and stop by to see what is being accomplished. We reopen April 2, 2017 and in the meantime can do special tours of the museum for our donors if you contact us at info@rockfishvalley.org.
Best wishes,
Peter A. Agelasto III
Founder and President on behalf of the Board of Trustees
Rockfish Valley Foundation
P O BOX 235
Nellysford Virginia, 22958
tel: 434 361 0271
2016 Fund Drive letter
Our fall fund drive has begun. Please help make it a success.
We send this fall fund drive request as the tenth anniversary year of the Foundation (RVF)
concludes. And what a year it has been! With 350 others, we celebrated the recognition of the South
Rockfish Valley Rural Historic District on Sept 18 at Three Chimneys. On October 16 at 3 PM at
Tuckahoe School we celebrated the selection of Nelsonite as the State rock of Virginia.
We begin a new year when Virginia education will focus on increasing environmental literacy in the
schools, and your RVF is positioned to play a major role locally. We have received some grant
money to link resources of our Natural History Center, Spruce Creek Park, and Rockfish River Trails
with the Nelson County Schools. We recently hosted 22 Nelson teachers, administrators, and staff
and have begun to implement our proposed programs. With the help of friends like you, we hope
to do a lot this coming year and next, including:
- Complete the Children’s Nature Trail and a Native Plant Walk at Spruce Creek Park
- Set in motion Phase I Archaeology study of the old Wintergreen Village and Coleman Mills
now that both have received state recognition as Virginia Treasures and endangered sites - Develop strategies with recently identified Nelson teacher liaison to share our resources
and execute field trips; continue Nelson Natural Day; initiate three collaborative programs
with recently identified Rockfish and Tye Elementary teachers - Host the Rockfish Valley Foundation kite festival April 9, 2017. MARK YOUR CALENDARS !
A significant objective remains to build capacity and open mid-week to provide for field trips as
well as home-schooled children. Please volunteer on a committee: EDUCATION, PROGRAMS,
TRAILS, DEVELOPMENT or FINANCE. We are all volunteers and no paid staff.
That brings us to our annual fall fund drive. We seek your financial support of the 2017 operation
budget to continue our important mission to enhance the quality of life, celebrate our beloved
Rockfish Valley and promote environmental literacy. Your deductible gift is very important to us
and it may be made thru Paypal on the RVF website. The more we receive the more we can
accomplish. Let’s all work to keep Nelson Beautiful! We look forward to the next ten years
Best Wishes,
Peter A. Agelasto III, President
Rockfish Valley Foundation
2010
DONOR WISH LIST
2010 COMMUNITY SUPPORT REQUEST
THE MISSION STATEMENT OF THE ROCKFISH VALLEY FOUNDATION
is to enrich the lives of the community and visitors with a rural tourism experience, to preserve the natural, historical, ecological and cultural resources of our area and to encourage recreation, an appreciation of nature and a healthy lifestyle in the Rockfish Valley and surrounding area.
UNRESTRICTED GIFTS : These will be included in the 2011 and 2012 annual budgets as approved by the Board of Trustees. Total request $25,000
SPECIFIC PROJECTS :
Master Plan Completion by Waterstreet Studio is our top priority. It is over 70% complete and the value of the entire plan is over $30,000. Waterstreet Studio work to date has been pro bono and the completion cost is between $5000 and 7500.
Kiosks at Spruce Creek Park trail head – $4500. $1500 already received from VA Dept of Game and Inland Fisheries . Map, display cabinets and brochure holders $2000.
AND Kiosk at Glenthorne Loop trail head – including map, display cabinets and brochure holders. $3000.
PROGRAM MATERIALS
Brochures and signage for birding, geology, botany trails and the NELSON SCENIC LOOP; maps, posters and other materials for events. $4000.
PROGRAM SUPPORT AND NAMING OPPORTUNITIES
Annual Lectures on geology, botany and birding $1000 per year or $5000 for 5 years.
Annual Culture and History Lecture $1000 or $5000 for 5 years. BIANNUAL Star Watch program for 5 years. $5000.Kite Festival $2500 per year.
OTHER OPPORTUNITIES. Matching funds are needed for potential state and private foundation grants to build enviro toilets, a shelter, Indian conversation circle with benches and a fire pit. Also needed are 4 Picnic tables at $400 each, 6 Benches at $200 each and other park fixtures, improvements and supplies. PLEASE INQUIRE
20% of each gift will be applied to completion of the Master Plan.
All Donors will receive a copy of the latest edition of Native Trees of Virginia.
Donors of $500 or more will receive an invitation to a unique special music event.
Rockfish Valley Foundation Trustees
Hank Gibb, Paul Davis, Chip Morgan, Michael Lachance, Russ Reid, Chris Gensic, Sharon Hudson, Jim Halley, Waite Rawls, Joe Prueher, Parker Agelasto, Peter Agelasto IV, Peter A. Agelasto III and Betsy Rawls Agelasto
ROCKFISH VALLEY FOUNDATION ACHIEVES NONPROFIT STATUS
Rockfish Valley Foundation, headquartered in Nellysford, Virginia is pleased to announce that it has received confirmation of its status as a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization, retroactive to its founding date August 18, 2005. Rockfish Valley Foundation is qualified to receive tax deductible contributions, bequests, devises, transfers, or gifts. Grant making institutions can issue grants to the foundation. The foundation is further classified as a public charity under an advance ruling which will be reviewed in 2010. Its advance ruling ending date is December 31, 2009. The organization is limited to pursuing specific exempt purposes and you may wish to take a look at its mission statement to better understand the vision of its founders.
The foundation, its officers and Trustees are proud to accept the responsibilities that accompany non profit status and will strive to be effective in carrying out its important purposes
The Rockfish Valley Loop Trail System has a wish list which includes:
Bird houses
Picnic tables
Benches
Toilets (2)
Kiosks (3) and labor to construct kiosks
Gazebo
Exercise station trail
Native plants and shrubs and landscape installation and maintenance
Volunteers to pull unwanted invasive plants
Volunteers to monitor trail and bird houses
Volunteers to organize community events including kite flying contest, starry night program, walk a thon,
camp fire sing a long and other events.
