
While it is a creation of the City of Royal Oak, the Royal Oak Civic Foundation (ROCF) is largely self-governing. The city, represented by the city commission acts as the foundation’s sole Member which created and may dissolve the foundation and also appoints members to the foundation’s board of trustees.
In December, at the annual meeting of the Member, chair Tom McGannon reported on the foundation’s activities and accomplishments during the 23-24 fiscal year.
As part of his report, McGannon recognized top donors to the foundation last year, including Corewell Health, the Arts Beats and Eats Foundation, the estate of former Mayor, Patricia Paruch, and the Boji Group.
During the meeting, the board recognized its first outgoing trustee, Amanda Sears. As chair of the grants committee, Sears established the evaluation criteria for the foundation’s new grant award program made possible through the community benefits fund, which is supported by unrestricted donations. As a result, the foundation recently gave out two awards: a grant to buy books for the Royal Oak Public Library’s new book vending machine at the Woodward Corners Market and a grant to the Royal Oak Leo Mahany / Harold Meininger Senior Community Center to pay for yard-work services for seniors in need.
At the end of the meeting, the city commission voted to reappoint trustee Darian Neubecker to a second term expiring in 2027 and appointed new trustee, Jenn Banovetz-Bastian, to a term ending in 2028.
The board recently elected its 2025 officers who will serve one year terms on the executive committee: Thomas McGannon, chair; Julie Lyons Bricker, vice chair; Darian Neubecker, treasurer, and Sharlan Douglas, secretary.
In addition to the library and senior center, ROCF supports the animal shelter, nature society, parks & recreation, the commission for the arts, the historical commission (Starr House) and public safety.
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