PHOTO: Jodie Mozdzer Superintendent Stephen Tracy shows Rock Nichols photos on his cell phone Friday. Rock's father, Mark, helped start the Derby Endowment Fund.
But in his six years in the city, he has grown to love the community. So much so that this year he spurred a group of citizens to launch an endowment fund that will help pay for projects to make Derby better.
“We’ve been here six years,” Nichols said Friday. “It’s an easy town to fall in love with. A lot of people who have been here a long time or just moved in feel the same way.”
The new Derby Community Endowment Fund paperwork was signed by Nichols, Derby city officials and Jamie Cohen, president of the Valley Community Foundation Friday.
The Derby Endowment Fund Committee will get donations to help grow the fund to $10,000. The Valley Community Foundation will oversee the account.
The interest from that fund will then be used each year to help Derby in three ways:
- award scholarships to Derby students
- pay for non-recurring education expenses in Derby public schools
- pay for beautification projects in Derby
“It’s about improving the city: for kids, for adults,” Nichols said. “We hope to improve Derby’s reputation through this fund.”
The money can’t be used on any regular expenses of the city. So it won’t go toward snow plowing, or salaries, Cohen said.
“They wanted people to understand this is going to supplant what the city does,” Cohen said.
“They’re looking to make the quality of life in the municipality better,” Cohen said. “And I think they’re to be commended for it.”
Seymour and Ansonia have already created endowment funds — specifically for education costs high school scholarships. Shelton will create an education endowment fund of its own this month, Cohen said.
PHOTO: Jodie Mozdzer Officials toast sparkling limeade to the new fund.
Fundraiser
The Derby Community Endowment Fund will have a kick-off fundraiser at 6:30 p.m. on May 12 at the Grassy Hill Lodge.
The event costs $50 per ticket, and there will be raffles and a commemorative book for sale.
Money raised during the event will go toward the fund.
To find out more about how to contribute to the fund, contact Nichols at (203) 732‑0630.
