Rural Action 2003
Annual Report
the Seeds
From the Executive Director
2003 Revenue and Expense
From the Board President
the Soil
Collaborators and Community Partners
Business and Organizational Members
the Roots
Program Highlights:
Sustainable Communities
Sustainable Economies
Sustainable Environments
the Branches
2003 Staff Members
the
Fruit
Sustainability
the Seeds
From the Executive Director
2003 was a productive year for Rural Action, full of program accomplishments and activities and accented by a new Executive Director search. In early 2003, Carol Kuhre announced her impending retirement and the search began, but members, partners and staff kept up their important work for healthy communities, economies and environments in 14 Appalachian Ohio counties, with much visible progress by year’s end.
Under Carol’s leadership, Rural Action has planted Seeds of hope and purpose, building on our region’s assets with many community members for a more sustainable future. Those Seeds represent aims identified some 10 years ago and adopted as our guiding vision.
We work in Soil rich with energy from members, friends, partners, collaborators, funders and volunteers. This soil contains necessary nutrients and adds strength and spice to our efforts to implement our Rural Renewal Strategy inch by inch, project by project and community by community.
Program goals, achievements and activities embody our Roots, deeply imbedded within our beautiful region. Our Branches, consisting of talented leaders reaching out to work with citizens for a more sustainable region, remain strong through the contributions of dedicated staff, Americorps VISTAs and JTS.
From these Seeds, Soil, Roots and Branches come valuable Fruit—a product of the faith, tenderness and kindness demonstrated by Carol but also instilled in all of us who strive to renew the places we call home. This document’s Fruit section summarizes hundreds of 2003 events, activities, planning hours and work projects enacted by people who care.
We dedicate the 2003 Annual Report to Director Emeritus Carol Kuhre in gratitude for visionary Seeds she planted, Soil she made rich with our partners, our work’s Roots within the community and Branches and Fruits of our labor that extend her efforts for healthy communities, economies and environments throughout the area. Thanks to Carol’s leadership, Rural Action’s fruitful branches are firmly rooted in fertile soil, and our foundation enables us to meet the challenge of renewing communities around the entire region.Jane Forrest Redfern
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