The Friends of the Bantam Jeep Association also are friends of the community.

The association doled out a total of $20,000 to 19 different non-profits from money made from this year's Bantam Jeep Heritage Festival. In addition, the association had already given $15,000 to local organizations which assisted with the 2016 festival, which was held in June.

“When our new organization was formed last fall to secure the future of the Bantam Jeep Heritage Festival, our board of directors felt very strongly that a portion of the festival proceeds needed to support Butler County's nonprofit and civic organizations,” association President Rodney Schaffer said in a news release.

The donations ranged from $500 to $3,000, with Butler County Historical Society being given the latter figure.

“We're excited to see that money supporting Butler, the birthplace of the Jeep,” said Pat Collins, executive director of the society.

In July, the historical society brought in artists from across the world to paint 10 murals representing Butler's past.

Four of those paintings were not mounted onto walls, and the money will go toward installing them onto walls around the city. This includes a mural of the Bantam Jeep on the wall of 123 W. New Castle St.

Get a complete report in Thursday's Butler Eagle.