The Mid South Raises $40,000 for The Saville Center Amid Funding Challenges

The Saville Center receives a much-needed financial boost as The Mid South presents a $40,000 donation to help offset substantial funding cuts the child advocacy organization has experienced in recent years.

The donation comes from a hand-painted custom bicycle raffle that raised $36,000, with The Mid South contributing an additional $4,000 to reach the $40,000 total.

"We were absolutely humbled by that this morning. It was insane," Heather Houle said, who has served as director of The Saville Center for three years. "The corporate sponsorship for the year is $10,000, and they surpassed everything."

The donation marks a significant milestone as District Bicycles becomes the center's first corporate sponsor, establishing a partnership that Houle describes as gaining "not only a corporate sponsor, but a family out of it."

The financial support arrives at a critical time for The Saville Center, which has experienced dramatic reductions in federal funding since the COVID-19 pandemic. Federal funding over the past three years has been reduced by $212,000, with $90,000 of that reduction occurring just last year.

"We get a grant called the Victims of Crimes compensation, and it's a federal grant. And post pandemic it has dropped an insane amount," Houle explains.

The funding challenges stem directly from pandemic-related court closures that significantly reduced the collection of fines and fees that support the federal grant program.

"It's off of fines and fees for court cases. And during the pandemic in 2020 and 2021, a lot of the courts closed down around our nation, especially federal level with white collar crimes," Houle said.

The timing of these cuts creates a significant challenge for the center, as they simultaneously face increased demand for their services due to pandemic-related issues.

"When the pandemic ended for everybody, it just started for us," Houle said. "We're seeing the lasting effects of when everybody was home – the mental health issues, the abuse, the drug endangerment."

This combination of reduced funding and increased need creates significant operational challenges for the center.

"We're getting a reduction in one area and the needs and risk increased in the other area," Houle explains. "Where we would have needed more, we're getting less and trying to find new ways and new avenues."

The $40,000 donation will help address immediate financial concerns for the organization, which operates on an annual budget of approximately $600,000.

"We had a deficit this year, and if we could raise the rest of the funding for our budget, this will take us out of our deficit if we're able to meet our budget needs this year," Houle said.

The center relies on a combination of grant funding, community partnerships, monthly donors, and fundraising events to meet its operational expenses. Their goal is to maintain all current programs without cuts despite the funding challenges.

The partnership between The Saville Center and District Bicycles began with a conversation between Houle, Bobby Wintle, and Matt Sullins, General Manager of Stonecloud Brewing in Stillwater.

"Bobby said, 'We've really got to figure out how to wrap our arms around you guys and really figure this out,'" Houle recalls. "Saville's been searching just for that partner that wraps their arms around children and families that need it through our agency alone."

The successful fundraising effort demonstrates the power of community support for local organizations facing funding challenges. It also highlights how businesses can make significant impacts through targeted sponsorships.

The partnership has inspired Houle personally as well. She purchased her first bike and plans to participate in next year's Mid South event.

"Bobby's picking me up a Salsa," Houle said. "I'm going to do the shortest ride next year."

As The Saville Center continues to navigate funding challenges while meeting increased community needs, Houle emphasizes that their work is ongoing and invites community involvement.

"It's never going to end. Our numbers are increasing," Houle said. "If you have a heart to help children and families in our community, I have a place for you. Get on our website and get connected. We've got a lot of opportunities to volunteer or to give."

The center continues to seek additional community partners and donors to help address the remaining budget deficit and ensure they can maintain services for vulnerable children and families in the community.

Movement in Color

Oklahoma City muralist hand-paints Salsa Stormchaser with native flora and fauna

The project features a one-of-a-kind bicycle that combines artistic expression with cutting-edge technology to support the local nonprofit organization.

"We have a Dream Build raffle happening with Salsa Cycles, SRAM and Zip," Wintle said. "Every single dollar of this raffle for this bike is going to The Saville Center here in Stillwater, Oklahoma to help kiddos in dire need."

The centerpiece of the fundraiser is a Salsa Stormchaser gravel bike frame hand-painted by Oklahoma City artist Amanda Weathers. The custom design showcases native Oklahoma plants and wildlife, including prairie paintbrush flowers, monarch butterflies, and prairie grasses against a backdrop inspired by the state's distinctive red dirt.

"This is my Oklahoma back roads palette," Weathers explains. "The prairie paintbrush, Indian paintbrush, also known as prairie fire, that is my favorite Oklahoma wildflower."

Weathers, who describes herself as "an artist, muralist, jewelry artist, flower farmer," incorporates elements from the natural world into her artistic vision for the bike frame. Her design includes a gradient of blue tones to represent the Oklahoma sky at sunrise and sunset.

The custom bike build, assembled at District Bicycles in Stillwater, showcases the latest in cycling technology. Tyler Siems, Shop Manager at District Bicycles, details the high-end components that make this a true "dream build."

"A whole build kit from SRAM, a mix of Red XX1 all the way to Flavortown," Siems explains. The bike features SRAM's new 12-speed electronic wireless shifters paired with an XX1 Eagle rear derailleur and a 10-52 cassette.

"Kind of the ultimate Payne county bike," Siems adds. "All the range, tons of durability, nice and light... checks all boxes."

For Weathers, the project represents a meaningful intersection of her artistic practice and personal journey. After suffering a debilitating back injury that coincided with the COVID-19 pandemic, she discovered cycling as both physical therapy and a way to reconnect with community.

"I really got to know people on the bike," Weathers said. "I realized, man, socializing on a bike, that's where it's at. You get your endorphins going."

This experience informs her approach to the hand-painted design and her connection to the charitable cause. "I really feel aligned with the goals of The Saville Center," Weathers said. "There's no shortage of children in this world right now that need an extra set of eyes and ears to kind of listen to them and hear them and help them through life."

👇 Watch the bike film produced by Josh McCullock, Creative Director for The Mid South 👇