The ALA-TOM RC&D Council covers the following nine Southwest Alabama counties: Choctaw, Clarke, Conecuh, Dallas, Marengo, Monroe, Perry, Washington, and Wilcox. The office is located in Thomasville.
PROJECTS AND ACCOMPLISHMENTS FOR 2016
Sports Complex: Southern Choctaw is a committee that is currently working to secure funds to build a regulation size baseball and softball fields.
2016 2nd Annual Chili Cookoff: This event is to bring people and businesses together from Choctaw County into Gilbertown to boost the local economy.
Butler Fest 2015: To promote economic & community development while increasing tourism for Butler and surrounding areas.
Playground Safety Project: To provide a safe place for children to play.
Renovations to Post 81: Rebuild bathrooms at the America Legion Post 81.
Children Program: Increase participation at the Choctaw County Public Library and establish the library as a viable contributor to economic growth in the area.
National FFA Convention: Training attendees from Southern Choctaw High School that will be used to host workshops for high school & elementary students.
2015-2016 Junior Ambassador Scholarship: Give students the ability to work with businesses and get a 500 scholarship with the Choctaw County Chamber.
People Making A Difference: Vine Branch Missionary Baptist Church helps the elderly and other needed people in the surrounding area.
Clarke County Beekeepers Association: Clarke County Beekeeper Association provides opportunities to educate the public on how important bees are to our food production through pollination and the many uses of honey for food.
Thomasville Sports Hall of Fame: Thomasville Library Foundation helps honor people who have brought glory through their Achievements in sports.
Clarke County 4-H Archery Program – Phase 2: The Alabama Cooperative Extension System provides an educational program with emphasis on positive youth/adult interaction and peer mentoring.
Power Hour after School Tutoring Program: The Boys & Girls Club of Southwest Alabama provides one on one help to afterschool students. These funds enabled two new jobs to be created.
Gillmore Elementary School Playground: To provide Joe M. Gillmore School students and the community with a safe and aesthetically pleasing place to play.
Tourism Development in the Region: Enhancing partnerships in the region, through events collaboration and marketing with University of Alabama Center for Economic Development (UACED).
Parks Development/ Healthy Kids 2020: Enhancing quality of life by providing all Conecuh County citizens the opportunity to participate in outdoor recreation and conservation activities in Castleberry.
Cogongrass Control Assistance: To join forces with Alabama Forestry Commission and Conecuh County to continue controlled tactics and help minimize future spread of cogongrass by assisting small landowners.
Plastic Culture in Agriculture: This machine, managed by Conecuh County Board of Education, provides opportunities to reach the community by providing information and making the machine available.
Ice Machine for China Community Center: Organizations hold events here and it is very crucial that an ice machine maker is in this building.
Event Tent and Fencing/hand washing station: To provide students with shelter from the elements and provide a sanitary hand washing station to prevent health hazards at the farm.
Bridging the Gap Summer Enrichment Program: To assists students in maintaining knowledge of their academics for the upcoming school year, and give working parents a sense of child safety during the day.
Hippy Conecuh 2016: Hippy’s main objective is to insure that every child is prepared to start school and ready to learn.
Pathway to Independence: Conduct initial structured intake interviews with victims. Funds will help pay for a part time case manager.
Support Group for Parents of Abused Children: The Child Advocacy Center is a program that conduct forensic interviews of sexually or physically abused children using highly qualified and specifically trained personnel. Working with DHR and law enforcement personnel in Dallas, Perry, and Wilcox counties.
Mill Village Community Garden: With the garden we want people to learn how to grow their own healthy food and sell it for profit.
Selma PAL After School Enrichment Program – Phase 4: To learn new skills, learn to respect others, and gain an understanding of those who are different from you.
Fall Farm to Feast: Working together as a community and helping each other. This event will raise the funds to continue classes.
Mandatory Reporter & Internet Safety Training: The Central Alabama Regional Child Advocacy Center offers an education series aimed at groups who are mandatory reporters of child abuse by Alabama law.
ArtsRevive Tale Tellin in the Schools 2015: ArtsRevive presents the Alabama Tale Tellin Festival each October. This year we are expanding the program to include free teacher workshops. The story tellers will travel to local school libraries in Dallas County to speak to children.
Leadership Selma Dallas County Youth and Adult: Leadership Selma-Dallas County has as its specific purpose to provide leadership, community and personal training to a diverse group of citizens.
Marengo County Stair Chair: Purchase a rolling emergency stair chair. This helps EMS personnel get patients up and down stairs and in tight spaces.
Computer Upgrade: To better perform bookkeeping and Administrative procedures for the Alabama Rural Heritage Foundation in Thomaston.
Sweet Water New Scoreboard: Purchase & install new scoreboard at City League.
Marengo History & Arhives Museum Signage: Design & install outdoor sign.
Forestry Education Event: To reach forest family owners with the latest advice on managing timber for income and maintain a sustainable forest.
Fire Fighter 1 Class: Train members of the Sweet Water Fire Dept. to better prepare them for fire emergencies.
14 County Regional Community Economic Development Marketing Project: All researched county information integrated into a marketing system that utilizes a website. Social media network. Application (APP) and YouTube Channel.
Marengo Co. H.S. AfterSchool: Prepare students to be college ready by increasing communication skills through writing and computer application skills.
Economic Genesis: Reduce the time and cost associated with outsourcing elements needed to create recruitment and retention packages for prospects looking to locate in Monroe County.
Education Outreach Soil & Water: To bring in students to give hands on experience with science projects to witness an actual prescribed burn in the woods.
Veteran’s Memorial Park: Concrete foundation, Granite monument with Veterans names engraved in the town of Excel.
Education Outreach – Monroe Co. Museum: Help provide outreach.
Micro Film Reader & Printer: To enable Genealogy and historical research.
Downtown Marion Renewal, Phase 2: New landscape of perennials planted in a patchwork quilt design to represent diversity and heritage of our community.
Medics for Athletes Safety: Provide mandatory care for athletes of the public schools at home football games.
Senior Aid Assistance: To continue our elderly program of 2 hot meals and a snack, transportation and health screening.
Pernell Community Playground Phase 2: This project will provide the Pernell Community with a playground for the kids in the area.
Marion Military Institute Math Science Department Stem Club: The Stem Club creates activities to allow students to build and test projects on campus.
Perry County Junior Ambassador Youth Leadership: This program informs and educates participants on community modeling and fosters personal skills.
4-H and Beyond: Purchase material to enhance overall experience through 4-H activities (assists with monthly project supplies).
Washington County Stair Chair: Purchase a rolling emergency stair chair. This helps EMS personnel get patients up and down stairs and in tight spaces.
St. Stephens Park Cabin: Purchase cabin to generate more income for the park.
Davidsons’s Heartland Rescue: Our goal is to get as many dogs, cats, and horses off the streets or out of bad homes and place them in loving homes.
Caring for Collections: To purchase a large metal shelter for the Bookmobile and UV blocking shades for the Library book collections.
Senior Center Improvements/Sidewalk: Safety improvements to prevent senior citizens from falling and being injured.
Wilcox County 4-H Archery Program: Implement a prevention-education model, with emphasis on positive youth/Adult interaction and peer mentoring
Tough Books for MedCare Ambulance: Two Tough Books will be purchased to keep important information stored and safe in the ambulance.
Alabama Tombigbee Senior RX Program: To increase the number of senior or disabled clients receiving prescription drug assistance.
Arts Education Enrichment Program: 2015-2016: Provide arts programs (i.e. Visual, performance, literacy, and cultural art history) to children in grades k-12.
Wilcox Works’ Instructor & Supplies: To reduce unemployment in Wilcox County and to increase income in the county.
2016 Children/YA Collection Development: To provide materials that support the curriculum of all Wilcox County schools and aid in preparation for placement tests ACT, SAT, GED, ASVAB
Fencing For Dallas County High School: To have a stable and safe reliable fence for the Dallas County High baseball team for the 2016 baseball season.
Camp Grits Revitalization: To help organizations work with local legislators and the Resource Conservation and Development Council for better communities.
Assistance with Construction of a metal Building at old Cahawba Archaeological Park: To provide a secure weather proof building in which to house grounds maintenance equipment that is used daily by the staff at Old Cahawba Archaeological Park.
Linden Industrial Park Water Line Upgrade: To increase the waterline capacity within the Linden Industrial Park to provide essential infrastructure for a new company.