NEWS RELEASE

For more information contact: Ann Mort, Executive Director

Phone - 513-422-3030, Fax – 513-422-3030,  Email – info@visitmiddletown.org

August 26, 2004

CVB BOARD GRANTS $25,951 TO FIVE LOCAL ORGANIZATIONS

Five local non-profit organizations will receive a total of $25,951 in grants from the Middletown Convention and Visitors Bureau.

CVB Board of Trustees president Dave Pearce made the announcement following a meeting of the CVB  board  which reviewed grant applications and met with representatives of  the applying organizations.

Grants were awarded to: Middletown Arts Center - $4,420; Middfest International - $4,350; Sorg Opera Company - $5,611; Light Up Middletown - $3,370 and Middletown Youth Softball Association - $8,200.

Organizations had requested a total of  $43,901.

A request from Ohio Challenge Hot Air Balloon Festival for the 2006 event was tabled due to lack of meeting time for full discussion.

CVB funds are derived from the 3% bed tax collected each time a traveler rents a hotel room in any of the 12 hotels within the city of Middletown. The CVB’s goal is to attract visitors to Middletown, especially those who will stay in local hotels.

Grants are made to assist non-profit organizations seeking to improve and publicize a local event. Most of the August 2004 grants will be used to prepare printed materials such as mailings, rack cards, posters and brochures, to send target mailings to  potential audiences and to update websites. The grant to the Middletown Youth Softball Association will be used to help in construction and promotion of the handicap accessible softball diamond at Goldman Park which will, when finished, serve as a playing field for local Challenge League teams as well as other regional teams. This will be only the seventh such field built in the United States.

Grants from the CVB are limited to promotion and marketing activities or improvements to an event site that helps draw visitors from outside the immediate area to Middletown events.

The CVB board makes grant awards twice each year. Grant applications are available for the next funding cycle through the CVB office at 513-422-3030 or via email to info@visitMiddletown.org. Deadlines for grant applications is 5 p.m. on the first business day of February and August.          ####