<h1>Greater South Fork Community Foundation History of Serving.</h1>
After the <strong>Million Fire</strong> in 2002, several generous folks wished to contribute funds to help South Fork recover from the fire, but there was not an appropriate entity in place to accept tax deductible donations. Over the next couple of years, concerned citizens held exploratory meetings about setting up a community foundation. The group eventually decided to affiliate themselves with <strong>Pikes Peak Community Foundation</strong> of Colorado Springs, an old, established 501©(3) corporation.

In August 2004, the <strong>Greater South Fork Community Foundation</strong> was established as a PPCF affiliate with forty-four charter founders, each contributing $2500 to fund the new organization, whose byline was “<strong>Building Greater South Fork’s Future….Today.</strong>”

In 2006 GSFCF began giving back to the community. <strong>Carnegie Public Library</strong> received over $50,000 to bring a branch to South Fork. GSFCF has made grants to fund required courses for <strong>South Fork EMS</strong> volunteers, to support the <strong>South Fork Music Association</strong>, to build a year-round facility at <strong>Beaver Creek Youth Camp</strong>, to restore the <strong>Windsor</strong>, to feed the dogs at <strong>Conour Animal Shelter</strong>, to bring the Junior Achievement curriculum to <strong>Del Norte Elementary</strong>, and much more.

In 2012, $16,000 was granted to the <strong>South Fork Fire Department</strong> to retrofit an existing fire truck into a wild-brush truck capable of getting into remote areas. Our board of directors has been the driving force to help the Town of South Fork obtain several GOCO grants, and then provided the matching funds required by GOCO.

One of our most rewarding grants has been for <strong>Del Norte Elementary School’s Economy Program</strong>. In 2011, the school requested funds to buy coats for kids in need. We granted $2000 for coats that year, but we also began to brainstorm the idea of a school store where kids could learn about business and “earn” the things they needed.

In 2012, third-grader teacher, <strong>Amy Duda</strong>, submitted a grant request to fund her “<strong>Tiger Bucks</strong>” program: an innovative educational system to teach children how money works. Kids were assigned “jobs” in the classroom and were paid in Monopoly money (Tiger Bucks) for doing their jobs. They were rewarded for outstanding performance and fined for unacceptable behavior. GSFCF funded the school store where children could use their hard-earned Tiger Bucks to purchase educational games, school supplies, sporting goods, etc. A grant was also provided for clothing, but those in need used their Tiger Bucks to purchase a new coat. After the first year, then principal, <strong>Nathan Smith</strong>, said that the Tiger Bucks program greatly reduced discipline problems and increased performance in all areas!