A Circle of Ten, Inc. Brazos Valley Texas A&M University

Network for Collaboration Council of Governments Energy Systems Lab

www.etvv.org http://www.bvcog.net http://esl.tamu.edu

S. Corapi, K. Holdway, R Tocker, P. Lustig, M. Myers, D. Tocker, D. Timmons

October 20, 2009

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE:

Contact: A Circle of Ten, Inc.

Sue Oliver & Tony Huddleston, 903-541-0013 circleof10@circleof10.org

Tocker Foundation Receives Award in Front of 38 Funding Peers

On October 9, Darryl and Robert Tocker of the Tocker Foundation accepted the “Funder of the Year” Award at the Eighth Annual Funders' Forum & Networking Gathering in Bryan, TX. Peggy Lustig , Gateway to American Opportunities, chaired the Award Committee and presented the award given by A Circle of Ten, Inc.-Network for Collaboration.

Each year A Circle of Ten selects a funder who has impacted rural Texas on a wide basis through support of new grant writers from wide geographical areas, with grant funding impacting nonprofit agencies’ ability to grow services. The Tocker Foundation was nominated by leaders from the Jacksonville Public Library, Marlin Public Library, Rusk County Library System’s Overton, Morrow, Tatum and Mt. Enterprise Libraries, Van Community Library, and Gateway to American Opportunities. Several representatives from these libraries were on-hand at the Awards ceremony. Their testimonies attested to the Tocker Foundation’s assistance in building their capacity to offer public library services.

The Tocker Foundation was established in 1964 to implement the philanthropic interests of Phillip and Olive Tocker. The Foundation’s purpose is to distribute funds principally for the support, encouragement, and assistance to small rural libraries in Texas. More information on the Tocker Foundation can be found at www.tocker.org. Past Funders of the Year awardees include the Wilton Fair Foundation, Austin Bank, East Texas Virtual Village, Verizon Foundation, Texas State Energy Conservation Office, Texas Bank and Trust, and Dollar General Literacy Foundation. Details and photos are at www.etvv.org

A Circle of Ten’s Funders’ Forum is the “Largest gathering of funders in the nation”. The October 9 event allowed leaders to develop one-to-one relationships with 38 funding representatives through nine breakout funding sessions, 25 exhibitor tables and 140 one-on-one consultation sessions, with the following grant making agencies: Brazos Valley Council of Governments, Experience Works, Fisch Foundation, Public Utility Commission of TX, TX Commission on Environmental Quality, TX Commission on the Arts, TX Dept. of Family & Protective Services , TX Dept. of Housing & Community Development, TX Dept. of Rural Affairs, TX Dept. of Transportation, TX Forest Service, TX Health & Human Services Commission, TX Higher Education Coordinating Board, TX Historical Commission, TX State Energy Conservation Office, TX State Library & Archives Commission, TX Workforce Commission, US Administration on Aging, US Dept. of Agriculture-Rural Development, US Dept. of Commerce, US Dept. of Health & Human Services, US Dept. of Labor-Employment , US Environment Protection Agency, Verizon Communications, and Workforce Solutions East Texas. See www.etvv.org for post Forum info and photos.

The Forum was held at the First United Methodist Church in Bryan and sponsored by TX A&M University-Energy Systems Lab, Brazos Valley Council of Governments, City of Bryan, Rural Arts Initiative Network and Workforce Solutions East Texas. The 2010 Funders will be held in Winnsboro.

The Annual Forum is offered by A Circle of Ten, Inc.-Network for Collaboration, a nonprofit agency, with the mission to “empower leaders and foster healthy collaborations to improve quality of life.” Other services include 3-Day workshops teaching grassroots organizing, innovative program development and grant writing, plus inclusion in regional initiatives. Contact A Circle of Ten at 903-541-0013 or circleof10@circleof10.org for more information on the 2010 Forum and/or involvement in Initiatives and workshops.. copyright @2001 A Circle of Ten, Inc. All Rights Reserved. ^{Revised Oct 22, 2009 9am KH PL SO PA}