DILLWYN – Ellis Acres celebrated Christmas a bit early this year with the news that the park is on the receiving end of grants totaling $17,500 through the Charlottesville Area Community Foundation, CACF.

Ten thousand dollars was awarded through CACF's Community Endowment Fund; and, $7,500 from CACF's Bama Works Fund of the Dave Matthews Band.

The grants, explained Wilbert Dean, Executive Director of Ellis Acres Memorial Park, will be used for equipment for the park's Youth Play Zone and for educational and recreational activities at the park.

According to Dean, plans for the Play Zone far exceed the typical playground. The area will include displays featuring innovative and artistic drawings, designs and labels conveying educational messages to children.

Those displays will portray scientific information identifying human and animal anatomy features; plant life characteristics; and geometrical designs and mathematical calculations.

While relaxing and playing in the Play Zone, children will actually be reinforcing many of the concepts they are taught in school, explained Dean.

Additionally, the park's planned tennis court will offer QuickStart features. QuickStart is the United States Tennis Association's kid-sized, age appropriate format for teaching young kids the sport for a lifetime.

Over the last several years, the antiquated tennis court at Ellis Acres has been used for a successful QuickStart program offered through EAMP and the Buckingham County Department of Recreation in conjunction with QuickStart of Central Virginia.

Accepting the grants, Dean expressed profound appreciation for the generous support from the Community Endowment Fund and the Bama Works Fund of Dave Matthews Band for the incalculable support in developing and sustaining Ellis Acres.

John Redick, President CACF, shared, “It is a pleasure to be involved in the rescue and conversion of this historic campus into a community asset for its citizens.”

Located in the Town of Dillwyn, the park is being developed on the historic nine-acre site that housed the county's first secondary school for African American students.

The school's remaining structure has been renovated and now offers a commercial kitchen, reception foyer, conference area and classrooms. Thus far, the park's facilities also include a spacious covered pavilion, picnic areas, and gardens.

On hand for the presentation were other supporting CACF staff including Peggy Williams, Director, Communications and Events and Special Assistant to the President; Brennan Gould, Director of Grants Strategic Initiatives, and Jon Nafziger, Director of Donor Relations and Programs.

Dean explained that in order to accelerate Youth Play Zone development and to enhance recreational activities, Ellis Acres is seeking donations from members of the community, park supporters and businesses to match the $17,500 in CACF grants.

He reminded that donations are tax deductible in the year given. Dean added, “Please help keep the momentum going.”

Donations may be mailed to Ellis Acres Memorial Park, Inc., P. O. Box 363, Dillwyn, VA 23936