Foundation announces $100K in grants

Saturday, June 5, 2010
Eighteen area agencies received grants for the Putnam County Community Foundation's spring grant cycle.

GREENCASTLE -- The ultimate goal of the Putnam County Community Foundation is to help improve the quality of life and strengthen the sense of community in Putnam County through the administration of funds and award grants.

Toward that end, the foundation awarded more than $100,000 in grants to 18 community organizations for its spring grant cycle.

Representatives from those organizations and the foundation gathered for a celebratory breakfast Friday morning at the Walden Inn in Greencastle.

Foundation Executive Director Elaine Peck thanked Sturgeon Appraisal Service for sponsoring the breakfast, and also lauded the many individuals and organizations that had donated the unrestricted gifts to the foundation, thus making the spring grants possible.

"Without individuals and organizations such as Dave and Lynn Bohmer, Art Evans, the Lyon family, Bob Farber, Mary Louise Miller, Howard Moore and Old National, the community foundation would not be able to have the impact in the community that it does today," Peck said.

Organizations receiving grants were the Greencastle Police Department, Floyd Township Fire and Rescue, Friends of the Park Associations of Putnam County, Heritage Preservation Society, Johnson Nichols Health Clinic, New Providence Baptist Church Food Pantry, Opportunity Housing of Putnam County, Family Support Services Inc., Putnam County Museum, Rebuilding Together Owen-Putnam, Reelsville-Washington Township Volunteer Fire Department, Summer Enrichment Program of Gobin Memorial United Methodist Church, Citizens Advisory Council for Industrial Development, Ivy Tech Community College of Greencastle, Knoy Resource Center, Hartman House of DePauw University, First Christian Church Boy Scout Troop No. 99 and Girl Scouts of Central Indiana Girl Scout Troop No. 10059.

Representatives from several of the organizations gave short presentations at the breakfast.

"I still see the clinic as being a primary source of care," said Ruth Ralph of Johnson Nichols Health Clinic. "We fill gaps in services."

Ralph said the clinic focuses a great deal on education, including dietary programs, exercise and smoking cessation.

"We stress eating better, moving more and stop smoking," Ralph said. "Everyone needs to hear those messages."

John McPherson of the Reelsville-Washington Township Volunteer Fire Department gave a short history of the department.

"It was founded in 1961 by a handful of farmers that saw a need," he said.

McPherson said the first year the department was in operation, firefighters responded to 10 calls. Last year, they went on more than 200.

"We are always busy trying to raise funds," he said. "We have breakfasts and chili suppers."

McPherson said a portion of the department's monthly breakfasts go into its endowment at the foundation.

"When we first started the endowment, it was met with a lot of questions," he said. "We didn't know what we were getting into. But it's been a good thing."

Girl Scout Whitney Weinschenk gave a presentation on her troop's project, which was putting down mulch around her school, Tzouanakis Elementary.

Each year, the foundation awards grants in the spring and the fall for charitable projects in Putnam County. Three different types of grants are awarded: Community Grants, Endowment Builder Grants and Youth Philanthropy Grants. Each type of grant has its own application and requirements.

All eligible organizations are encouraged to apply for grants from the Putnam County Community Foundation. For more information, call director of community development Eric Wolfe at 653-4978.

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