Smiles were plentiful as the Greene County Community Foundation awarded a total of $120,644 in grants for 27 projects at the ninth annual grant award celebration March 31 at the First Presbyterian Church in Jefferson.
Community Foundation president Tim Heisterkamp served as emcee for the evening. Peg Raney of the Grow Greene County Gaming Corporation spoke briefly about the process and status of a gaming license for the proposed casino. She explained that if the Iowa Racing and Gaming Commission approves the Greene County license, the Community Foundation will receive funds from Grow Greene County to disburse as it has state gaming funds in the past. “This will still happen. We’ll just have more funds to work with,” Raney said.
Community Foundation vice-president and co-chair of the grantmaking committee explained the process used by the board in awarding grants. This year there were 37 grant applications for a total of $257,000. Eight grants were fully funded, 19 were partially funded, one was withdrawn as it received other funding before the Community Foundation scored grants, and nine applications received no funding. “I’m very proud of it,” Wind said about the board’s decision-making process. “It’s based on a collaborative effort that really seems to work and I think we’ve been very successful in how we’ve done this.”
Grants were awarded as follows:
- Churdan fire department- quick saw and hand-held radios, $2,000
- Churdan public library- update technology, $2,500
- Community Players of Greene County- wireless microphones, $1,250
- Jefferson-Scranton first grade teachers- take-home books for students, $1,000
- Genesis Development- Staff training in handling medical emergencies, $2,531
- Grand Junction Community Center- architectural planning and design, $8,000
- Grand Junction public library- technology, $1,010
- Greene County Chamber & Development- Welcome Center, $14,500
- Greene County conservation board- pave crossings on Raccoon River Valley Trail, $14,750
- Greene County Early Learning Center- shade structure for playground, $5,790
- Greene County Historical Society- building repair of Society buildings at fairgrounds, $3,075
- Greene County sheriff’s office- K-9 unit purchase and drug education, $3,000
- Habitat for Humanity- Helping Hands owner-occupied home rehab, $7,500
- Elks Lodge #2306- building repair, $5,000
- Jefferson fire department- air compressor, $2,800
- Jefferson park & recreation department- filters for municipal pool, $10,000
- Jefferson police department- one in-car computer, $2,000
- Jefferson public library- replace platform lift, $9,500
- Jefferson swim team- replace starting blocks, $4,000
- Jefferson-Scranton elementary- books for distribution to students, $2,855
- Rippey fire department- grain bin rescue equipment, $688
- Scranton Community Center- new lighting for gymnasium, $3,000
- Scranton public library- drive-up book drop and receipt printer, $2,500
- Jefferson Matters: Main Street Tower View Team- A View from Above rooftop art, $1,995
- Veterans of Foreign Wars- building repair, $5,000
- Washington Township trustees- re-establish fencing at cemetery, $3,000
- William Paton Public Library- update circulation desk and office area, $1,400
Click here for more complete information about the projects and grants: https://greenecountynewsonline.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/04/GCCF-grants-2014.pdf
Representing the organizations receiving grants were (front, from left) Joleen Allen- Paton library, Michele Hardin- Jefferson-Scranton elementary, Cherie Cerveny- Greene County Early Learning Center, Ces Brunow- Greene County Historical Society, Ben Yoder- Greene County Chamber & Development for Welcome Center, Diane Wise- Grand Junction Community Center, JoAnn Rasmussen- J-S first grade readers, and Sue Kellogg- Grand Junction library; (middle, from left) Greene County Community Foundation president Tim Heisterkamp, Jerry Robers- Elks Lodge 2306, Maggi Abernathy- Scranton library, Nate Byerly- Churdan fire department, Randy Love- Jefferson fire department, Pete Johnson- Rippey fire department, Marilyn Tilley- Churdan library, Deb McGinn- Jefferson Matters: Main Street Tower View Team, Jane Millard- Jefferson library, Lacy Follett-Brubaker- Jefferson swim team, and Vicky Lautner, Jefferson park and recreation department; and (back, from left) Cheryl Robson- Scranton community center, Clay Ross- Community Players of Greene County, Kevin Hick- Washington Township for cemetery, Dave Morlan- Jefferson police department, John Schoening- Community Players, Harry Ahrenholtz- Habitat for Humanity, Don Ihnken- VFW Post 9599, Jack Williams- Greene County sheriff’s office, Terry Johnson- Genesis Development, and Dan Towers- Greene County conservation board.
