Community Foundation awards more than $106,000 in grants

Community Foundation of Greater Plymouth County grants for 2008 were presented to front row (from left) -- Joan Susemihl and Patrick Schmitz for Plains Area Mental Health, Inc.; Julie Theisen and Dr. Todd Wendt for Le Mars Community School Alternative School. Back row -- Scott Bailey for Kingsley-Pierson Community School; Jeff Alesch and Tony Gunter for Gehlen Catholic Schools; Becky Scheitler for Life Skills Training Center, Inc., and arol Niehus for The Pride Group, Inc. [Click to enlarge]

This is the third round of granting from the Iowa gambling revenue that is passed on to local county foundations where gaming facilities are not present, according to Carol Schneider, chair of the foundation.

A total of 35 grant applications, with a total asking of $211,478, were submitted to the local community foundation early in October. A local grant selection committee reviewed the grant applications ultimately selecting 18 projects to fund, with 13 of those requests fully funded, according to Schneider.

Community Foundation of Greater Plymouth County grants for 2008 were presented to (from left) -- Bill Rosacker for Le Mars Ambulance Service; Kevin Rollins for Remsen Ambulance and Plymouth County EMS Association; Dick Sievers for Mid-Sioux Opportunity; Liz Gibney for Remsen St. Mary's Schools; Susy Kessenich and Ann Schoenrock, 4-H Food Stand; Darla Zellmer, Plymouth County Fair Board; and Judy Bowman, Plymouth County Historical Museum. Not pictured - Dr. Bill Blankenship for The Nature Conservancy in Iowa. [Click to enlarge]

Members of the grant selection committee were Les Veen of Le Mars, Bill Farmer of Hinton, Nancy Bahlof Kingsley, Angela Ericson of Akron, and Norine Harvey from Remsen who chaired the selection committee on behalf of the local foundation.

Grant requests included projects that addressed youth, education, arts, health services, and community development.

Organizations and community groups from across the county that received grants include:

Community Foundation of Greater Plymouth County grants for 2008 were presented to, front row (from left) -- Tammy Lee, Siouxland Area Chapter of American Red Cross; Sue Kroesche and Rosanne Hoss, Le Mars Public Library; Margaret Marienau, City of Merrill. Back row -- Bob Bartling, Siouxland Area Chapter of American Red Cross. Representing Merrill and the Merrill Foundation were Carol Vanderloo, Sara Jane Hauff and Rich Husman. [Click to enlarge]

Akron Opera House - $9,960 - Purchase music instruments for Akron Opera House

City of Akron - $2,515 - Website development for the City of Akron

City of Kingsley - $3,238 - Shelter House Improvement Project

Community Foundation of Greater Plymouth County grants for 2008 were presented to, front row (from left) -- Tim Blum and Karen Taylor-Mortensen, Akron Opera House; Mindee Weinschenk, City of Akron; grant committee member Angela Erickson; Gail Konopasek, Le Mars Day Care, Inc. Back row -- Mark Cline, Akron Opera House; Harold Higman, City of Akron; Sandi Bolton and Karen Borchers, Ecumenical Institute; and Aaron Crabb, Le Mars Day Care, Inc. [Click to enlarge]

City of Merrill - $2,000 - Merrill Park Camping Site Improvement Project

City of Struble - $7,500 - Purchase of dump truck and snow plow

Ecumenical Institute - $700 - Plymouth County Senior Service Directory

Gehlen Catholic School - $5,000 - Health & Wellness Facility

Kingsley-Pierson Community School - $2,550 - Purchase of automated external defibrillators

Le Mars Ambulance Service - $5,000 - Replace automated electronic defibrillators

Le Mars Community School Alternative School - $2,250 - Purchase of educational computer instructional programs

Le Mars Day Care, Inc. - $5,000 - Roof and window replacement

Le Mars Public Library - $2,205 - Public access computers

Life Skills Training Center, Inc. - $1,248 - Adult Basic Education programs

Lucky Leprechauns - $5,900 - Supply of clothing and basic school supplies for school age children

Mid-Sioux Opportunity - $1,870 - Teddy Bear Den Parent Incentive Prizes

Mid-Sioux Opportunity - $5,000 - Emergency assistance to Iowa families

Plains Area Mental Health, Inc. - $1,078 - Educational handout materials

Plymouth County 4-H - $4,990 - Re-roof 4-H Foodstand

Plymouth County EMS Association $10,000 - Education and equipment for EMTs

Plymouth County Fair Board - $4,377 - 4-H Exhibit Building Project

Plymouth County Historical Museum $1,350 - Promotion of Loess Hills with a brochure, exhibit & signage

Remsen Ambulance - $5,000 - Electronic ambulance cart

Remsen St. Mary's Schools - $5,403 - Purchase of automated external defibrillators

Siouxland Area Chapter of American Red Cross - $5, 344 - Disaster Preparedness Comfort Kits and Shelter Supplies

The Nature Conservancy in Iowa- $5,000 - Bison introduction to Broken Kettle Grasslands

The Pride Group, Inc. - $2,000 - Leisure Skills and Wellness Program

The Community Foundation of Greater Plymouth County was organized in April 2005 and has representation from across the county. The local foundation is affiliated with the Greater Des Moines Community Foundation.

Local board members are Wayne Plendl, Kingsley; Norine Harvey, Remsen; Sharon Frerichs, Akron; Mike Porter, Carol Schneider, and Jane Scheitler , LeMars; Wayne Schlotfeldt, Brunsville; Ken Spies and Nate Nelson, Hinton.

The next grant application deadline will be early in the fall of 2009. Non-profit groups and organizations are encouraged to submit applications for the 2009 distribution of grant funds.

Schneider also recognized representatives of the Merrill Community Foundation, which was recently formed with Acorn Funds.

"We're excited for them," said Schneider. "This means more than just the gambling money is being used for a community foundation."

Acorn Funds offer individuals an option to build a permanent charitable endowment over 10 years. Rather than requiring $10,000 immediately to begin an endowment, donors make an initial contribution of $1,0000 and pledge a minimum annual contribution of $600 to build their Acorn Fund.

Also attending the breakfast meeting were state Rep. Chuck Soderberg and Sen. Dave Mulder.

Mulder said he was not a strong proponent of gambling, "but this is some of the good that comes out of it," he said of the Community Foundations.

Soderberg noted that the foundation funding is the result of legislation passed in 2004.

"This shows how legislation makes a difference locally," Soderberg said. "It's your money working for you."