Community Foundation of West Texas Grants Almost $30,000.00 to Historic Preservation Projects

Tuesday, November 16, 2016, the Community Foundation of West Texas will announce grants to three agencies totaling almost $30,000.00. These grants are gifts made possible through the E. Jay Matsler Trust for Historic Preservation. The E. Jay Matsler Trust for Historic Preservation was established with a bequest of $348,000 for supporting historic preservation projects in Lubbock and Hale counties. Mr. Matsler’s gift to the Community Foundation of West Texas reflects his roots as the child of a Hale County pioneer family and avid supporter of historic preservation. Because of Mr. Matsler’s generosity, funding will be available from the E. Jay Matsler Trust for Historic Preservation every year for generations to come for a variety of important local historic preservation projects.

Those receiving grants are:

Lubbock Heritage Society-Underwood Pullman Car Preservation Project

Ranching Heritage Association-Rolling Stock Exhibit Building

Slaton Railroad Heritage Association-Early 1900’s Fort Worth & Denver Caboose Restoration

Edward Jay Matsler– Jay was born at home on Aug. 7, 1939, in the Liberty Community to the late Grover C. and Lura Nell Matsler, a Hale County Pioneer family. He died on Dec. 31, 2013, in Lubbock at the age of 74. A Lubbock resident since 1954, he graduated Lubbock High School and Texas Tech University and began his forty-year banking career, retiring from Wells Fargo Bank as Vice-President and Trust Officer. He was active in the Lubbock community and a volunteer on several boards and organizations.

The Community Foundation of West Texas works to improve the quality of life in all of the communities in our 15-county region by providing leadership for effective philanthropy that builds enduring assets and by promoting community solutions through research, convening’s, and actions that advance the common good. Our vision is a community where generosity and civic engagement are valued and practiced by all people in service to the common good.

What: Press Conference to announce almost $30,000 in Historic Preservation grants

When: Tuesday, November 15, 2016 at 10:00 a.m.

Where: Slaton Harvey House, 400 Railroad Avenue, Slaton, TX.