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Foundation recognizes latest grantees
An early-morning crowd gathered in the community room of Area 30 Career Center Friday to celebrate the Putnam County Community Foundation 2016 fall grant awards breakfast.
Seventeen grants to community organizations totaling $63,491.22 were announced Friday morning.
PCCF Director Dean Gambill explained that three different types of grants are awarded: Endowment Builder Grants, Community Grants and Youth Philanthropy Grants. Each has its own application and requirements.
Attendees had the opportunity to hear from representatives of three organizations who received grants and learn about their projects.
Vivian Whitaker spoke for Cloverdale Dollars for Scholars about the impact that Endowment Builder grants have made on the organization and its ability to provide scholarships for Cloverdale graduates.
In this grant cycle, Dollars for Scholars was awarded a $5,000 endowment builder grant.
To qualify for an Endowment Builder Grant an organization must establish or have an existing endowment with the Community Foundation and submit a fundraising plan to build the endowment. The Community Foundation matches one dollar for every two dollars that the organization raises.
Beth Waterman, principal at Roachdale Elementary School, reverted to teacher mode as she read “Have You Filled a Bucket Today?”
The book is part of a character building program which has begun at the school. With the help of a $700 community grant, Roachdale Elementary is implementing the “every child, every day, whatever it takes” character education program.
The Community Grant will purchase of additional literary works and incentives to help fill student buckets with kind words and actions.
Miranda Williams, a sophomore at IUPUI, told those gathered of the project she has completed at Camp Friend.
Williams identified 16 tree species at the camp and placed identification markers beside each tree. The metal markers identify the tree, show a picture of the leaf and include a QR code. Using a smart phone to scan the QR code, a user can access the Wikipedia page for that specific tree.
Also, as a courtesy to hikers, four markers identify poison ivy.
Williams received a $500 Summit Award from Venture Scouts as a result of her project.
Other community and field of interest grants announced on Friday included:
• Greencastle/Putnam County Development Center: $20,000 for support in 2017.
• Friends of the Greencastle Fire Department: $10,000 to renovate and update the GFD fire education “smoke house.”
• Area 30 Career Center: $7,725 for support and maintenance for a vehicle with air brakes for CDL classes.
• Foundation for Autism Resource: $4,500 to provide resources for underserved children with autism.
• New Life Connections: $3,000 to purchase roofing materials for facility to host substance abuse programming.
• Heritage Preservation Society of Putnam County: $2,000 to install new clock and clock faces on the Putnam County Courthouse.
• Mental Health of America of Putnam County: $400 for support for Puppet Power program.
Susan Lemon, who chairs the Community Foundation Grants Committee, thanked donors to unrestricted and field of interest endowments that make grant awards possible.
Lemon acknowledged and thanked the work of Grants Committee members who give many hours in making decisions for awarding grants.
“Application requests generally total four times the amount available for grant awards,” she said.
Additional youth philanthropy grants of $500 each were awarded to:
• Nick Duggan to construct a playground at Camp Friend.
• Craig Helmers of First Christian Church to clean up the trail and install signs at Fern Cliff.
• Whitney Weinschenk to construct sun shade at the Greencastle High School soccer fields.
• Sean Ramey to rebuild the shelter at Jaycee Park.
• Greencastle High School Robotics Club to purchase robot kits for use in competitions.
• North Putnam High School Champions Together to purchase equipment for unified sporting activities.
A grant from the Sherman and Maria Fund, a donor advised fund administered by the Putnam County Community Foundation to Greencastle Community Schools, was also recognized.
This grant of $6,666.22 was used to update the computer equipment in the alternative education classroom at Greencastle High School.
PCCF Executive Director Elaine Peck greeted the morning crowd while acknowledging First National Bank as the breakfast sponsor and Almost Home as the caterer.
For information about applying for an Endowment Builder Grant, a Community Grant, or a Youth Philanthropy Grant, visit www.pcfoundation.org or contact Community Development Director Dean Gambill at 653-4978.
The Putnam County Community Foundation is a nonprofit public charity established in 1985 to administer funds, award grants and provide leadership, enriching the quality of life and strengthening community in Putnam County.