Residents of and visitors to Fulton County may notice a new feature at the corner of County Highway 22 and the Canton-Cuba Blacktop as they drive past.
The Spoon River College Foundation recently purchased a new, fully-electronic LED messaging sign for SRC’s Canton Campus, and its construction was completed last week. The sign is 16 feet in height and has full-color message boards visible from both the east and west. It is controlled remotely by the SRC Marketing Department via internet connection.
“This was something that was sorely needed for SRC,” said Bruce Beal, member of the SRC Foundation Board of Directors. “Hundreds of vehicles pass that intersection every day, and the ability for the college to communicate all of the services it offers will be vital.”
“I’m thrilled to see this project come to completion,” said Curt Oldfield, President of SRC. “This sign creates all kinds of new opportunities for SRC to communicate with residents of Fulton County and visitors to the area. Additionally, as we continue to add new programs, such as our new athletics programs, more and more people will be visiting our campus for the first time. This sign offers a warm welcome to all of our students, friends, employees, and visitors. I thank the SRC Foundation and its donors for all the support they offer to SRC and our students.”
Beal spearheaded the completion of the project for the SRC Foundation Board. After requesting proposals from several companies in the area, Bendsen Signs and Graphics in Decatur, Ill. was chosen to design and erect the sign, while Quick Electric in Fairview, Ill. completed all the necessary electrical work.
“On behalf of the SRC Foundation Board, I’m very grateful for the work of Fulton County native Jason Tompkins and everyone at Bendsen Signs and Quick Electric,” said Beal. “Additionally, thank you to President Oldfield, Vice President Brett Stoller, the SRC Board of Trustees, Ameren, and Fulton County Engineer Keith Munter for their support and assistance in bringing this project to fruition.”
Funds for the purchase and construction of the sign came largely thanks to proceeds from the Gene and Marie Long Memorial Trust, which provides funds annually to the SRC Foundation for capital upgrades to the SRC Canton Campus. Additional funds came from donors who also designated their gifts to facilities at the Canton Campus over the past few years.
“We continue to be grateful to Gene and Marie Long for their generosity, which has benefitted SRC for nearly a decade now,” said SRC Foundation Executive Director Colin Davis. “Gene and Marie were longtime Cuba and Canton residents who recognized the benefit SRC provides to our area. In talking recently with their friend, Don Heller, he told me about their love of athletics and how he thought they would be thrilled with their gifts being used to purchase this sign with all of the new traffic coming to campus thanks to our program expansion. I’m so appreciative of their foresight and honored to do right by them.”
The Spoon River College Foundation is a 501(c)(3), not-for-profit organization dedicated to providing SRC students with the best educational experience possible. Funds raised benefit SRC and its students in many ways.
“While direct assistance to students through scholarships and hardship grants represents the largest parts of what we do on an annual basis, we also provide support to student and community programs at SRC and assist in the upgrades of college facilities,” said Davis. “This new sign is a perfect example of a need at SRC that we were able to fill thanks to the generosity of our donors, and we know it will benefit the college for years to come. Thank you to our donors, Director Beal, and everyone who helped to make it happen.”
To learn more about the SRC Foundation, visit www.src.edu/foundation.
