October 30, 2009 . . . When Kansas City, Missouri businesses and residents receive their November-December water bill, they will find an opportunity to support the City of Fountains through the newly established Friends of the Fountains fund.

A donation form and details about Friends of the Fountains are included in the Water Lines newsletter inserted with each water bill.

Parks and Recreation operates and maintains Kansas City, Missouri's 47 trademark publicly owned fountains and Water Services provides the water. After funding for the fountains was cut from the City's budget last spring, Water Services stepped up to also underwrite the electrical costs for the recently concluded 2009 fountain season.

"It costs $168,000 to energize Kansas City's fountains each year," says Mark McHenry, director of Parks and Recreation. "If every business and household receiving a water bill would donate just $1.00, it would cover the costs for 2010 and secure our reputation as the City of Fountains for another year."

Anyone can support the Friends of the Fountains by downloading a donation form online at www.kcmo.org/fountains or sending a check (payable to KC Parks) to: Friends of the Fountains, 4600 E. 63rd St. Kansas City, MO 64130. Donations to municipalities are generally tax deductible under Section 26 USC 170 (c) (1) of the Internal Revenue Service.

Fountains have long been part of Kansas City's identity and are a visual display of community pride. Now is the time to join forces to continue to showcase the beauty and craftsmanship of these celebrations of water with the Friends of the Fountains fund.

Friends of the Fountains Web page

Kansas City, Missouri Parks and Recreation

Kansas City, Missouri Parks and Recreation's mission is to improve the quality of life by providing recreational, leisure and aesthetic opportunities for all citizens, and by conserving and enhancing the environment. We accomplish this mission by providing quality programming, making the best use of existing resources, developing a supportive and influential constituency, developing effective collaborations and partnerships, and acquiring and preserving natural features.