100+ Men to help Russellville Community Center ‘Raise the Roof’

Making a donation to the Russellville Community Center “Raising the Roof” campaign are 100+ Men of Putnam County members (seated from left) Joe Peterson, Keith Berry, Keith Ford, Ken Eitel, Ken Carrington, Murray Pride, Alex Davis, (middle) Dakota Lanham, John Davies, Doug Miller, Mark Gunnoe, Tom Webb, Mac Shuee, Dave Murray, (back) Todd Lewis, Warren Macy, Mike Harmless, Cameron Humphreys, Bob Lowe, Matthew Owens, Paige Cotton, Dave Roberts and Ken Heeke.

Courtesy photo

The Russellville Community Center will be receiving a $10,200 contribution to its “Raising the Roof” project awarded at 100+ Men of Putnam County’s third quarter meeting.

The contribution will provide significant assistance to replace a badly deteriorating roof. The center was selected from three Putnam County 401c3 charities selected at random.

In speaking for the center, 100+ Men member Ken Eitel noted the history and importance of the Russellville Community Center’s facility to the community. First, as Russellville High School, next, upon consolidation in the 1960s as an elementary school, ultimately being adopted and developed by community leaders for a community center upon closure of the elementary school.

Over the years, the center has become the gathering place for the tri-county area in far northwestern Putnam County. Its history has hosted weddings, family reunions, roller skating and basketball programs, to recognize only a few of the uses.

The most well known and attended of these is the annual Christmas Cantata performed over three nights to more than 1,300 people.

“I am especially pleased that our organization has been able to reach out into the Putnam County community and support such an important historic community treasure,” 100+ Men Chairman Mike Harmless said. “We are a group of Putnam County men and encourage any Putnam County charity to contact us to learn how to present your organization’s needs to our group.”

Since its January 2015 debut, the group has awarded almost $400,000 to 27 Putnam County 501c3 charities.

It also has created a Community Grants Endowment at the Putnam County Community Foundation that provides money for the Foundation to utilize in their grant-making process in perpetuity.

Following the national model, 100+ Men meets four times a year to award a big check to a Putnam County 501c3 charity. Interested men can visit the website www.100plusmen.com for general information as well as application forms (click on the “Join Us” icon) or check out its Facebook page, 100+ Men of Putnam County.