Elsewhere in this newspaper is a story about the Peabody Community Foundation having a chance to make a real impact on the health of Peabody residents with a grant that combines funds from the Kansas Health Foundation and the Grow II project recently completed by the PCF.

Funds from this endowment will be available every year to finance projects related to a healthy community. A small group of residents met Aug. 20 to learn about the funds and the types of projects that can qualify for grant money to help Peabody become a healthier community. The meeting facilitators encouraged participants to think outside the box and not let the costs involved or the odds against completion deter them from including any projects.

Several dozen ideas were put on paper — some using minimal resources and some requiring additional creative fundraising. I have seen the list of ideas and it is rather exciting to think of the possibilities that exist from this annual disbursement of funds.

The next step is what I want to share with you here. The Peabody Community Foundation board would like to create a steering committee of volunteers to take on this project. The steering committee would prioritize the ideas from the community, determine which should be pursued, and work with the PCF to make them a reality. This is not a life-long commitment to a committee. It is a few hours a month for a year or so for a dozen people to pick some projects that will serve the community’s health and well-being and push Peabody in the right direction.

My personal opinion is that this group should be made up of a good cross-section of the community and should certainly include some new blood with fresh ideas.

This is a great chance to give our citizens something they need, no matter what their age, income, interests, or background. Making an investment of your time and effort in the physical and mental health of our residents can create a huge payoff for all of us as individuals and as a community.

I hope you will consider contacting PCF president N.M. Patton or board member Brad Nightengale for more information or to volunteer for the steering committee. Give it a try.

— SUSAN MARSHALL