Community Grants Report

Community Grants Report
November 2019

City of Ellsworth and Ellsworth Kiwanis Club - Splash Park Project

Smoky Hills Community Fund, Dane G. Hansen Community Grant Fund,
$15,823, Awarded 4/4/2018
Project Summary: The Ellsworth Kiwanis Club and the City of Ellsworth are working to construct a Splash Park.
This proposed project will encourage our residents and visitors to increase their use of Preisker Park and plan more
outdoor gatherings that are family oriented.
Use of Funds: The foundation grant funds were utilized to secure all the water features and equipment to operate
the splash park. The project would not have been completed here in 2019 without the financial contribution we
received from the foundation.
Impact & Results: The Kiwanis/City of Ellsworth Splash Park gained a lot of support from organizations and
individuals that saw the value of the project and the positive impact it would have on the neighborhood that has
not seen a significant public investment dating back to the 1930s. During the ribbon cutting ceremony, several
elderly citizens were very pleased to see the excitement and smiling faces of the young kids and their parents to
utilize the park. One citizen commented on how much joy being able to see the City of Ellsworth invest resources in
an older part of the city.
The City of Ellsworth is fortunate to have leaders that are willing to take an idea and make it become a reality. Each
water feature that was ordered for the Splash Park was selected by the elementary students. The Kiwanis Club

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wanted the input from the children and gave them
an opportunity to vote for the items they wanted to
see at the Splash Park. Building a sense of community
and inclusion were the keys to our project’s success, we
hope to encourage other rural communities to build
community projects that improve the overall quality of life
for their citizens and region of the state.

The City of Ellsworth and Ellsworth Kiwanis Club Splash
Park Initiative attracted $50,000+ in financial pledges
toward a new restroom facility that was constructed
next to the project. The project is 100% complete and
opened on July 5, 2019. The funds received from SHCF in
2018 helped secure the remaining balance of the funds
needed for the contractor to complete the remaining
project in June 2019. Since the Splash Park opened on
July 5th, there has been 50% increase in vehicle and
pedestrian traffic visiting the park. The city is utilizing
a reservation system to monitor the park’s usage for
gatherings greater than 10 people. The projected increase
usage of groups greater than 10 will allow the city to
create a schedule for individuals and families to reserve
the park for planned events.

The partnerships this project formed allowed the grandparents, parents, and children to experience a once
in a generation collaborative effort, bringing the community together to share in the Kiwanis and City of
Ellsworth’s success.

Ellsworth County Historical Society,
Fort Harker Documentary

Dane G. Hansen Community Grant Fund,
$3,000, Awarded 4/4/2018

Project Summary: ECSH requests funding to make a
30 to 45 minute documentary on the history of Fort
Harker, telling the story of it’s development from a frontier
outpost as Fort Ellsworth to is evolution as Fort Harker a
supply depot for other frontier forts.

Use of Funds: The entire funding was used in the production of the DVD including the purches of DVDs to be
distributed. The filming, production and DVDs were done by Post Rock Studios of Kansas.

Impact & Results: Over the past year and a half the documentary started taking shape. Starting with writing the
script, to work with filming, securing filiming locations and actors, to the actual filming, then finally editing of the
film. During this time, we discovered that it takes a lot more time and work to make a 57 minute documentary than
what was anticipated. All filming and editing has been completed and the final edit has been sent off to be made
into the DVDs. If another project of this type was to be taken on, we would allow for much more time to complete.

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Ellsworth County Historical Society, Ellsworth
County Photo Preservation Project (ECP Cubed)

Dane G. Hansen Community Grant Fund, $4,200,
Awarded 10/3/2018

Project Summary: The Ellsworth County Historical Society (ECHS) has begun an extensive program to preserve,
catalog and index the thousands of photographs and documents in our archival collection. Our request will be for
preservation supplies and storage materials.

Use of Funds: The grant funds were used to purchase preservation materials, all acid-free, such as photo sleeves,
specialty tape, mylar rolls and tissue paper rolls. Also purchased was shelving for the archive room in the museum’s
new office building.

Impact & Results: The technique for preserving photos and artifacts has changed drastically. Photos have been
pulled from boxes and filing cabinets, digitized and preserved in acid-free material. All photos are then filed
numerically. Every photo completed can now be found again via the location tab in the museum’s computer. More
than 2000 photos have been completed to date, with more to be done. The project could not have been continued
without preservation materials, which are costly and necessary.

Also artifacts such as deeds, birth and baptismal certificates, as well as letters and postcards are beginning to be
digitized and preserved. As new items are donated to the Ellsworth County Historical Society, updated inventorying
and digitizing have become the new practice. Shelving has been set up to hold the larger boxes (also acid free and
purchased by the grant) of preserved photos and panoramic scenes. Our skills in organizing the museum’s objects
and artifacts is improving daily.

Lang Memorial Library, Sign Us Up!

Dane G. Hansen Community Grant Fund,
$4,813, Awarded 10/3/2018

Project Summary: The Lang Memorial Library has welcomed
patrons since the grand building opening in July 1924. For 94
years, the Library has lacked signage to post special events.
This grant request is to buy a sign with a message board,
accessible by all patrons.

Use of Funds: Lang Memorial Library purchased an outdoor
sign, with a message board, to be installed on the Library’s
south lawn.

Impact & Results: The outdoor sign project has brought the Library Board and Wilson’s City Council together,
making the two boards communicate about the sign’s installation and creating a new mutual respect for each
other.

The outdoor sign’s legs and electrical wiring have been added, making the sign ready for installation. The City
Mayor has taken over the sign’s installment and has the City work crew scheduled during the next days to dig the
sign’s hole, install the sign, pour the cement, and trench the electrical line. In late July, the Library’s 95th Birthday
Celebration and Sign Dedication were held but only an artist rendering of the sign could be shown.

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City of Kanoplis, Expression Swing Adult/Toddler Swing

Dane G. Hansen Community Grant Fund, $3,053, Awarded 10/3/2018

Project Summary: The Kanopolis Recreation Committee would like to
purchase an Expression Swing (Adult/Toddler Swing) to be placed in
the city park. Such swing promotes intergenerational play and bonding
as adults and children swing together facing each other.

Use of Funds: The grant funds were used to purchase an Expression
Swing that was installed in the Kanopolis City Park for parents/
grandparents and their small children/grandchildren to enjoy.

Impact & Results: Due to the weather being abnormally wet this winter, spring and early summer, it was not
possible to install our Expression Swing until late June. Since it has been installed, I have seen adults and children
swinging together, especially in the morning before going into the community room for lunch. I did not have my
camera with me at those times. However, I was able to talk to a lady and her young daughter who had just been on
the swing and were on their way to lunch. They both expressed how much they enjoyed the swing and said they
would be back as often as possible to swing together. Her young son was in a stroller and not old enough to sit in
the toddler swing. However, the mother said that she plans to swing with him when he is old enough. Without the
grant money, the recreation committee would not have been able to purchase the swing so there would not have
been an Expression Swing in our park for parents/grandparents and children/grandchildren to enjoy together.

Ellsworth Family Connections, Inc.,
Family Connections Renovations 2019

Dane G. Hansen Community Grant Fund,
$5,180, Awarded 4/3/2019

Project Summary: This grant will help us complete four renovations
projects that will ensure the safety and comfort of the people that use
our facilities to visit their families residing in the Ellsworth Correctional
Facility.

Use of Funds: The Grant Dollars were spent to repair the hallway of
four rooms, repair and replace two showers and tiling and replace a
garage door with door opener for the Ellsworth Family Connections
Facility.

Impact & Results: The grant from Smoky Hill Charitable Foundation
has allowed us to provide a safe place for Families visit with their
relatives at the Ellsworth Correctional Facility. This gives them a sense of
safety as they bring their families to a new town to visit. It makes them
feel loved and cherished as they experience this wonderful ministry.
This allows them families to feel that our community is concerned
about their well-being. It also gives them a sense of self worth as they
know they have a safe place to come to to visit their family member.
Without this grant our facilities will continue to deteriorate and begin
to make it impossible to help these families. We appreciate Smoky
Hill Charitable Foundation’s continued support of this program.

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Midway District Shooting Sports, Air Rifle

Dane G. Hansen Community Grant Fund,
$2,500, Awarded 4/3/2019

Project Summary: The Midway District 4-H Shooting
Sports Club currently has youth interested in the air rifle
project and is needing to update equipment so that
the youth can competitively compete in 4-H air rifle
shooting matches.

Use of Funds: The grant funds were used to purchase
two air rifles and the related equipment, including gun
cases, two bipods, two offhand stands and pellet boxes,
two slings and hand stops, a spotting scope with case,
an air cylinder and cleaning pellets

Impact & Results: The Midway District 4-H Shooting Sports was very fortunate to receive this grant to purchase
air rifles and equipment for our club. Our club is in its fifth year of growing, and we are constantly learning more
about the shooting sports program. In the beginning of 2019, we had a 13-year old youth compete in the air rifle
competition for the first time using an air rifle that the club owned. He was exhausted at the end of the match
from the difficulty of pumping the air rifle, and it was very apparent that we needed new air rifles for our members
to be able to compete. Fast forward to our ribbon shoot in August, that same youth was able to shoot the new air
rifle. With minimal practice he not only had a higher score but was not sore after shooting. The younger members
were also allowed to practice with the new air rifle and were physically able to shoot the air rifle and be successful
in hitting the target. The next air rifle season begins in December. By having the new air rifles, the members can
begin practicing at a younger age which will in turn allow them to be more competitive in the air rifle discipline.
We currently have 12 members that shoot BB guns and hope to see many more as our club grows. There are more
benefits that are yet to be seen for purchasing this equipment. Shooting air rifle will teach strength and accuracy
that will carry in to other shooting disciplines and life. This may even open the opportunity for college scholarships in
the future.

City of Wilson, Wilson Community Clean Up

Dane G. Hansen Community Grant Fund,
$4,600, Awarded 4/3/2019

Project Summary: To support the week long Wilson
Community Clean Up project.

Use of Funds: Grant funds were used to pay for trash
pickup and tire pickup. Limb and debris clean up and
metal item clean up was provided in kind.

Impact & Results: The 2019 clean up was more
successful than in past years because we were able
to make the item/ category drop off location in one
centralized area.

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Feeding the Children of Central Kansas,
Feeding the Children of Central Kansas

Smoky Hills Healthy LIving Fund,
Kansas Health Foundation Fund,
$4,845, Awarded 4/3/2019

Project Summary: Because the summer food
service program located in Wilson out grew the
kitchen that had been used for 9 years, we are now
relocating and opening a new site and equipping
the kitchen.

Use of Funds: Grant money was used entirely to purchase necessary equipment to equip the kitchen of the Feeding
the Children of Central Kansas main cooking kitchen. We purchased the equipment as listed on the grant. We fed
3,067 chidlren in eight locations.

Impact & Results: Becuse of the grant we had a kitchen completely stocked to feed over 4,000 children and adults.
We had hoped for 11 weeks of serving but because it took longer than planned to order, stock the kitchen, hire
professional cooks, and locate sufficent volunteers we served eight weeks. If we had not had this funding these
children would not have had noon meals available to them. We reached 3,067 youth in eight locations. We are
investigting another location for next year. Because of what we learned this year we are ready to add this location in
2021. Teachers tell us, the chldren that have summer food service, are better prepared to return to school. We added
40 hours of paid labor to the economy of three communties.

Holyrood Booster Club-Depot Project,
Holyrood Booster Club Santa Fe Depot Restoration

Dane G. Hansen Community Grant Fund,
$5,452, Awarded 4/3/2019

Project Summary: The Booster Club is in the process of finishing up the restoration
of the Santa Fe Depot in Holyrood. We are requesting funding for the final projects:
to sand and refinish the floor and to lay a water and sewer line for the bathroom.

Use of Funds: Requested funds to refinish reclaimed floors and to bring water and
sewer lines to the building.

Impact & Results: Because of a change in the floor tint and inclement weather we used less dollars than our
original request. We petitioned the GSCF to retain the left over money to apply to the payment of a handicapped
ramp which we installed at that same time. Our request was granted and everything came together just in time for
“Pickin’ at the Depot”, a community music event, in combination with an open house and, of course, donations were
welcome. Our event brought 250 guests to Holyrood for Blue Grass music, food and camaraderie. We even had a
little train for the children to ride. The event was so well received. Even an unwanted rain storm did not dampen (no
pun intended) the festivity. People are still commenting about how much they enjoyed it and are requesting that it
become an annual event, a request we intend to grant. Even though our intent is and was to save a historic building
and to provide museum space for railroad and local artifacts, we also wanted to provide meeting space for the town.
Our event was just desert for Holyrood, one we will continue and build on.

We could not have accomplished what we have without the tremendous support of the Smoky Hill
Foundation and Dane Hansen. Thank you so very much.

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Ellsworth County Fair Association, Ellsworth County Fair Equipment

Dane G. Hansen Community Grant Fund, $6,050, Awarded 4/3/2019
Project Summary: The Ellsworth County Fair Association seeks to purchase additional equipment for the county fair.
Specifically, we are requesting 20 (eight foot) tables, four table racks, four wheel barrows and four large barrel fans.
Use of Funds: Through this grant, the Ellsworth County Fair Association was able to purchase 26 lightweight tables,
fourlarge barrel fans, four wheel barrows and four table carts to store/transport our tables on.
Impact & Results: The Ellsworth County Fair Association was formed in 2014 with the purpose of organizing the
county fair each year. Through a dedicated group of volunteers the annual event has grown each year and shows
no signs of slowing down. The purchase of this additional equipment will allow the Fair Association to properly
showcase the increase in entries, as well as provide adequate air flow in the outdoor barn. Each year, several hundred
people attend the Ellsworth County fair. By continuing to improve the comfort as well as the aesthetic display space
the goal would be for the number of participants/spectators to continue to grow also.

City of Kanopolis, Marquee sign for City of Kanopolis

Dane G. Hansen Community Grant Fund, $2,595, Awarded 4/3/2019
Project Summary: The proposal below is for the City of Kanopolis seeking funding for a new marquee that is
weather worn, discolored and cracked.
Use of Funds: The City of Kanopolis purchased a new marquee using this grant.
Impact & Results: The City Maintenance crew installed the new marquee just days before our Fort Harker Days on
July 12th and 13th. We have received many good reviews regarding the new marquee. It was definitely a welcome
addition plus the relocation was needed so citizens could see coming and going into town.

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