June 2026 Newspaper Article

Keeping Our Towns Vibrant: How the Rural Riley County Community Foundation Invests in Our Home

If you ask anyone living in northern Riley County what makes our area special, they won’t point to skyscrapers or traffic lights. They will tell you about the neighbors who show up with chainsaws and tractors after a big storm, the volunteers who keep our local parks looking sharp, and the long-standing traditions that bring Keats, Leonardville, and Riley to life every year.

We live in a place where people genuinely care about one another. And right now, the Rural Riley County Community Foundation (RRCCF) is working hard behind the scenes to make sure our small towns thrive for a long time to come. We are entirely run by your neighbors. Decisions about how funds are used are made right here by folks who live, work, and farm in northern Riley County.

Think of the RRCCF as a giant, community-driven savings account specifically for our neck of the woods. Local people pitch in, and that money goes directly to work where it’s needed most—whether that’s upgrading a playground, supporting Riley County USD 378 schools, funding local holiday events, or simply taking care of the small-town traditions that make this a great place to live.

Our biggest event is coming up on August 27 and 28. That is when the RRCCF will host its annual Match Day fundraiser. You can choose from a wide variety of local causes to donate to during these two days. To see a full list of participating funds, visit ruralrileycountycf.org and look for full Match Day details in the July issue.