$103,000 in SCICF grants are awarded

This cheerful looking group represents the 23 Lucas County non-profit agencies and organizations that were awarded a total of $103,000 in South Central Iowa Community Foundation grants during the annual SCICF awards program, held early Monday evening at Pin Oak Lodge.

I'm happy (and thankful) to be able to report that the Lucas County Historical Society was recipient of a $9,100 grant that we'll match with society funds in order to rewire the Stephens House.

That vintage 1911 building, heart of the museum campus, still has some of its original wiring in place. Some rewiring has taken place over the years, including in the basement to accommodate new heating and cooling devices and allow exterior outlets. But parts of the system are downright scary. So it will be a relief to be able to undertake this project.

Here's a list of the other grant recipients along with brief descriptions of what the money will be used for:

Circle of Friends Hospice: $6,000 to fund new computers for the inpatient unit.

First United Methodist Church: $525 to purchase a new freezer to be used in conjunction with the congregation's End-of-the Month Meals program.

Jericho Hills Camp (at Lucas): $900 for a refrigerator.

Lucas County Fair Association: $1,740 to purchase additional rabbit cages. Those who attend the fair  may have noticed that a rapid increase the number of rabbit and poultry entries has overwhelmed existing equipment, making it necessary to borrow cages from other area fair associations.

Williamson Fire Department: $6,208 to purchase 13 new pagers.

Chariton Senior Center: $4,000 to purchase an institutional-strength mixer.

Carl L. Caviness American Legion Post: $2,500 to assist with ongoing work at the Lucas County Veterans Memorial Park.

Russell Fire Department: $10,000 to pay for new firefighting gear.

Chariton Free Public Library: $4,000 for books.

Chariton Area Chamber-Main Street: $232 to purchase additional children's costumes for the holiday DazzleFest celebration.

Lucas County Arts Council: $9,275 to fund exterior and other lighting projects at the Freight House.

Master Gardeners & Friends: $884 to help fund improvements at the Post Office Garden.

Lucas County Sheriff's Department: $5,000 to purchase laptop computers for patrol vehicles.

Chariton Fire Department: $10,000 for new air packs.

Chariton High School: $1,200 for weight room equipment.

Chariton High School: $8,073 to upgrade scorer tables and seating.

Hope Learning Center: $2,000 for an ice machine and new tables (in addition, the Learning Center will receive a $5,000 grant to launch an endowment fund once its 501(c)3 application is complete).

Derby Fire Department: $10,000 to help fund purchase of a newer pumper truck.

Chariton High School Band: $457 to purchase equipment for and continue the "Creative Percussion" program.

City of Russell: $2,000 for a new shelter house.

Children & Families of Iowa: $1,000 for its family support program.

Lucas County Health Center: $3,000 for a specialized patient lift chair.

The Community Foundation and others like it across the state administer Iowa's County Endowment Fund Program and offer other services and incentives to promote charitable giving and local philanthropy. The foundations, which also specifically serve counties where state-licensed casinos are not located, receive a share of annual gaming tax proceeds. Seventy-five percent of the proceeds are distributed annually during programs like this; the balance goes into permanent charitable endowments for the counties they serve. The South Central Iowa Community Foundation is headquartered in Chariton. It serves Clarke, Decatur, Lucas, Ringgold and Union counties. Adams, Appanoose and Wayne are affiliate counties.

The Lucas County Historical Society is an endowment investor in the foundation.