Gallery receives donation

From left, Kathy Sage, president of Rainbow Springs Art Gallery; treasurer Diane Anthony; gallery member Erica Sauve; Judy Terwilliger, vice president Rocket Shop Farm Foundation; foundation board member Susan Kuhar; foundation president Betina Cryer; gallery membership chair Linda Reitz; gallery vice president Steve Burden; and kneeling, gallery acting secretary Silvia Borges. The Rocket Shop Farm Foundation presented the Rainbow Springs gallery with a check for $5,000 to be used for paving a parking lot. [Photo by Margo Wilson]

Rainbow Springs Art in Dunnellon has moved into new quarters on Walnut Street and has a nicely refurbished space with timbered ceilings and lots of display area in the 2,175-square-foot building.

But to reach the front door, customers must park on the grass or hike up a side sidewalk.

The Rocket Shop Farm Foundation of Dunnellon has awarded the nonprofit gallery a $5,000 grant to help pay for paved parking, including a designated space for physically disabled patrons.

Foundation President Betina Cryer said the organization is pleased to help out the gallery so more people, including seniors, as well as those who may be physically disabled, are encouraged to visit and take classes and attend events.

Cryer said she and others formed the foundation after attending a Chamber of Commerce fundraising luncheon in 2023. The foundation’s website states that it “is committed to strengthening the Dunnellon community by fostering growth, resilience and prosperity. Our mission is to provide financial support to local businesses, schools, nonprofits and city organizations, ensuring a stronger, more vibrant community for all.”

Cryer said she’d like to help the businesses and organizations that are contributing to Dunnellon and see the city grow.

In the recent round of funding, the foundation also donated money to Mustang Moon Equine Solutions in Ocala, which provides equine therapy for veterans, first responders, children and others; to Ziggy’s Haven Bird Sanctuary in Inverness; to Dunnellon Community Services, which provides hot lunch and other programs to support the elderly; and to the Dunnellon 2 Lions Club, which provides clothing and school supplies for needy students at Dunnellon Elementary School, as well as helps people with visual and hearing impairments.

Cryer also has donated $10,000 for a STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics) program of the Boys and Girls Club of Marion County.

Cryer said the foundation got its name from her Rocket Shop Farm, where she raises dairy goats and cows. She also is a retired rocket scientist; an engineer who worked on the space shuttle. She was employed by the Boeing Company and worked at the Kennedy Space Center. She said her father worked for NASA and instead of planting flowers around the edge of their house on Merritt Island, her family raised vegetables. Thus, she’s the second generation in her family combining rockets and farming.

“I love what I do,” Cryer offered.

Gallery President Kathy Sage thanked the foundation for its generosity. She said initial plans call for six paved spots, including a space for the handicapped, immediately outside the gallery’s front door. The city of Dunnellon is asking for plan modifications, but the intent is for the paving to be finished by summer 2026.

Sage said an investor has pledged to match the foundation’s grant and it’s expected the completed project will cost about $10,000.

The gallery also recently has received grants from Marion County’s Tourism Development Council to help pay for advertising to attract visitors from outside the county.

The gallery is open 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Tuesday through Saturday and 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. on Sunday. The address is 20826 Walnut St. The phone number is (352) 763-4048.

To learn more, go to rainbowspringsart.com and rocketshopfarm.com