Conco Cos. steps up to support children's health needs in Willard

In a challenge issued last summer, Conco Cos. promised to match funds for the Willard Children’s Health and Dental Fund, one of six funds created by the Willard Children’s Charitable Foundation, an affiliate of Community Foundation of the Ozarks.

Last summer, WCCF officials raised more than $13,000 by soliciting 46 donors from the Willard community, and Conco made its matching donation to the fund May 12.

Conco has had quarry operations in Willard since the 1960s.

“We try to be supportive of any good cause in the Willard community because that area is so important to us,” said Andrew Baird, director of administration for Conco.

Kent Medlin, superintendent of Willard schools, came up with the idea for the WCCF, and the foundation was established in May 2005. Medlin sits on the WCCF board.

To date, members have raised more than $140,000 for the WCCF, including the money raised for the dental and health fund.

Medlin said a good indicator of the need for children’s assistance in Willard is the percentage of students on free or reduced lunch rates. About 30 percent of Willard students have free or reduced-rate lunches, and there are always more students who qualify, but their families do not take advantage of the assistance.

“There’s this gap of people who are working hard but don’t have health coverage, and that’s what this is for. That’s a large group of our population,” Medlin said.

Money from the Willard Children’s Health and Dental Fund is distributed in grants to Willard schools. Teachers can request funding for students from the Health and Dental Committee, comprised of WCCF board members and school employees.

“We don’t want students falling behind on any needs that cannot be met by the caregiver,” said Guy Morelock, president of WCCF and co-owner of Springfield’s G & G Painting.

Of the $26,000 in the health and dental fund, $5,000 has been awarded in grants for the 2007-08 school year to provide for dental, vision, hearing and behavioral health needs.

Morelock said he hopes to use some of the money in the Children’s Health and Dental Fund to create an endowment. Though that would require $10,000 in principal to get started, it would guarantee continued assistance for Willard children. The WCCF board would have to approve the creation of an endowment, he said.

Conco’s donation represents the first time the WCCF has had a matching grant for its funds. Conco’s Baird said leveraging money is an effective way for charitable foundations to get started – and in this case, to give teachers a discretionary way to offer assistance to students.

Baird’s family has a long association with CFO. Along with CFO President Gary Funk, Baird was among the first people to start organizing affiliates for the organization. His mother, Sally Baird, currently serves on the board of directors and his father, Rob Baird, previously served as board president.

“(CFO affiliates) are great ideas for small communities,” Andrew Baird said. “They really provide a strong resource for a small community to develop local solutions to local problems.”