News : Community members continue to support Benton County Conservation!

Don Eells, Gwen Eells, Shelby Williams (BCC), Aaron Askelson (BCC), Layla Hagen (BCC), Zach Pamater (BCC)

In the ongoing efforts to raise money to acquire the Wildcat Bluff Addition, Benton County Conservation Foundation has received an additional donation that will be doubled by the Meyers' Family Conservation Fund challenge.

Gwen and Don Eells of Vinton, Iowa have donated $10,000 to the Wildcat Bluff Addition. Gwen stated they are "excited to support a project that stays right here in Benton County." They understand the impact this project will have now and for generations to come. Don Eells' father was an Iowa State Conservation Officer in Eastern Iowa who was in the area when Hannen Lake (Blairstown, Iowa) was developed. Hannen Lake is the state of Iowa's first conservation board man-made lake. Gwen and Don have always been interested in conservation and are happy to support their local community and conservation efforts.

Benton County Conservation is over halfway toward their fundraising goal for the Wildcat Bluff expansion which will more than double the size of the existing park. They received a special challenge opportunity for this project from the Myers' Family Conservation Fund and continued supporters of Benton County Conservation are utilizing the opportunity to double their impact.

To help keep this momentum going, we invite everyone to utilize the Myers's Family Conservation Fund challenge grant to double your impact. We now have through May 2024 to utilize the challenge grant.

Shelby Williams, Director with Benton County Conservation, would like to remind everyone that this property is not open to the public at this time.

Williams invites anyone interested in learning more about the Wildcat Bluff expansion to email info@bentoncountyparks.com, call 319-472-4942, or go to www.bentoncountyia.gov/conservation. To see other related news and press releases regarding this project, please visit www.bentoncountyia.gov/news/.