Published: November 22, 2008 12:13 am      

Margaret Dulaney Endowment awarded

From staff reports



Margaret Dulaney's passion for the arts will live on in an endowment with the Community Foundation of East Mississippi.

Mrs. Dulaney was a leader in the Meridian arts community. She died in March after succumbing to illness.

The wife of Structural Steel Services owner and community leader Tommy Dulaney for 49 years, she was active in many civic causes and wanted to make a difference where possible particularly in the arts.

"She was a wonderful wife, fantastic mother, grandmother and great-grandmother," Dulaney said Friday as the Margaret Dulaney Arts Endowment was announced at the Regions Bank Building in downtown Meridian.

The announcement was made by Barbaree Heaster, vice president of the board of directors of the Community Foundation.

"As a community we lost somebody very special earlier this year, and while we know that she may not be here physically, the endowment ensures that the causes that she cared about will have the support that they need," Heaster said.

The Community Foundation also announced the launch of a grantmaking program to be known as the Margaret Dulaney Arts Initiative, through which the foundation is requesting proposals from nonprofit organizations and schools for projects that engage children and youth in the arts.

Dulaney's daughter, Cindy Gibbons, also was present at the announcement held Friday morning.

"I think my mother would be so humbled by all of this. She was the arts lover in our family. She started the love in my heart and my dad for the symphony, the theater and the museum," Gibbons said. "I know that she will be thrilled that through this initiative, so many children will be exposed to the arts."

Proposals for the initiative should request no more than $500. While strong consideration will be given to new and innovative ideas, requests for support of existing programs will be considered. The deadline for submitting a proposal is Wednesday, Jan. 14, by 5 p.m.