What began with a small taco feed of concerned community members in the Floriculture Building of the Fairgrounds, has now become a full fledged non-profit corporation. The PSCF Foundation has been created to benefit the Plumas Sierra County Fairgrounds. Its mission is to support the Fairgrounds and the Fair, ensuring that the grounds and facilities will remain and prosper for future generations. Through fundraising, grants, and volunteer organization the PSCF Foundation will strive to provide the Fairgrounds with the resources needed to remain active, solvent, and viable in our community. The idea of a foundation began in 2012 when State budget cuts began to threaten the basic health of the beloved fairgrounds. Although the staff and county have worked hard to keep the Fairgrounds operational, it has gone without many enhancements that could make it even more functional and enjoyable for the residents of Plumas and Sierra Counties. A core group of supporters began to meet irregularly and created all the necessary paperwork to become a California Public Benefit Corporation and apply to the IRS as a 501(c) (3) non profit. That approval was recently received from the IRS and now the Foundation is ready to move forward on numerous projects. The Board of Directors identified 8 areas they are ready to work on. The first is a comprehensive volunteer program. The Foundation has been working on a database of volunteers that matches individuals with specific tasks needed to be accomplished at the Fairgrounds. The volunteer program will feature a regular newsletter, recognition and an annual appreciation function. If anyone is interested in becoming part of this program, they are urged to contact the Fair Office. Other projects the Foundation has already supported include financial support for Fair U, the annual event held in February that gives the public free lessons in projects that can be entered in the Fair. Besides Fair U, the group sponsored the Sweetheart of the Mountains Competition last year, and will do so again. Awards for the Junior Livestock program was also handled through the Foundation last year. The Foundation is working on two additional projects. The first is the Foundation will offer scholarships for entry fees in some areas that the Fair would like to see increase participation. Scholarships for entries will be announced that will allow entry in certain Divisions and Classes at the Fair for free. This will hopefully stimulate interest in some areas that haven’t gotten many entries in the past. Those scholarships will be announced in the 2015 Fair Exhibit Guide. The other project is Art at the Fairgrounds. The Foundation will be looking for proposals for public art that will be displayed at the Fairgrounds throughout the year. Fundraising will take place to help pay for those installations and it is hoped the program will help the Fairgrounds become a kind of permanent art exhibit. Ideas are being worked on with an announcement planned for the Spring. The non-profit is working on a capital improvement project in the form of installing hand dryers in the bathrooms at the Fairgrounds. These hand dryers will save the Fairgrounds thousands of dollars in paper products and cleanup. The project requires 12 dryers at around $600 each. Finally, the Foundation will work on increasing its membership. Several generous souls have already given sizeable donations as Founding Members. This one time $500 donation designates the giver as a Founding Member of the PSCF Foundation. Their name will be engraved in acrylic and displayed in the entry way of the Tulsa Scott Pavilion forever. These Founding Member gifts will be available through the end of the 2015 Fair. Besides being a Founding Member, there are several other annual memberships available, ranging from $40 as a Fair Backer to $1000 and above as a Fair Shareholder. These memberships feature passes to the fair and various gifts with the Foundation logo along with recognition in the Fair Program and on the Foundation Roster, also displayed in the entry to the Tulsa Scott Pavilion. Information cards with all the membership options are available at the Fair Office and on the Fair website, www.plumas-sierracountyfair.net. Just click on the PSCF Foundation tab at the top of the page. By becoming a member, you show your support of the Fair, and help accomplish many of these projects. Donations made through the Foundation offer that tax benefit that makes giving a little easier. The involvement of a non-profit in these projects creates a much more flexible environment than the Fair as a government agency could.