Philip Craighead recently presented a $25,000 check to The Community Foundation of Wilson County on behalf of the Whip Crackin’ Rodeo, an annual event launched by the former Lebanon mayor and his wife eight years ago.

The check presentation represented the final step by Craighead and others associated with the rodeo in establishing a fund with The Community Foundation of Wilson County and an ongoing partnership.

Craighead told The Community Foundation’s local board he and his wife, along with a number of volunteers in the community, established the rodeo to help local charities and non-profits at a time when government agencies, businesses and others were reducing their financial commitments to many of these causes.

“We’ve been able to provide financial contributions to a number of local organizations as a result of the rodeo,” Craighead said.

Bob Black, board chairman of The Community Foundation of Wilson County, said discussions about establishing a fund with the Whip Crackin’ Rodeo and a partnership with The Community Foundation began several months ago.

He said the relationship between the two “makes perfect sense as both are essentially sharing identical missions and working to benefit local non-profits.”

Black said he believed there are a number of ways The Community Foundation can be involved and help Craighead and others produce the annual rodeo held in the spring at the Ward Agricultural Center in Lebanon.

“Philip, through his personal efforts, has created an annual event in Wilson County that provides two days of quality family entertainment and perhaps even more importantly provides a significant base of revenue from which financial contributions can be made to those serving our most deserving causes locally.

“We, The Community Foundation of Wilson County, look forward to working with Philip and other key organizers of the rodeo and bringing to the table a plethora of resources we have to help make this event even more special for the thousands who attend each year and for those agencies and non-profits who benefit,” Black said.

The Community Foundation of Wilson County was launched some three years ago and is an affiliate of The Community Foundation of Middle Tennessee.

Since its beginning, the local organization has focused its efforts on making Wilson County and local non-profits better aware of how The Community Foundation provides giving opportunities to donors by ensuring excellent stewardship of lasting charitable funds that meet their personal requirements and their individual interests.

From: The Wilson Post – click here for full article