Community Grants Report

Community Grants Report
November 2019

City of Portis, Portis Community Park Project

Dane G. Hansen Community Grant Fund, $1,6000,
Awarded 4/23/2018
Project Summary: The community park is in dire need of new playground equipment. This project aims to replace &
upgrade the current equipment so that the children in our area can once again enjoy the park as well as encourage
family/community picnics and gatherings
Use of Funds: This grant allowed us to purchase a very nice playground equipment set as well as a majority of the
ground cover to go under it. By combining funds from two other places we were also able to purchase and install a
nice border.
Impact & Results: While the weather provided many challenges, the completion of the project was difficult at times
due to volunteer work schedules, harvest, etc. We found that building a playground from the ground up had many
challenges as well including clarity of the assembly instructions.
There was one point in the project where we were so close to being done that just two volunteers were working!
Another community member drove by and stopped, saw us struggling! She went home, got her husband and came
back to help us finish! It was a great moment of support and community pride!

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Osborne Chamber of Commerce, Osborne County Leadership Prgroam

Community Fund, Dane G. Hansen Community Grant Fund,
$1,830, Awarded 4/23/2018

Project Summary: Osborne County Leadership is a program designed to seek out future leaders in Osborne County
and to establish a network of present an potential leaders. Participants will gain leadership knowledge and a greater
understanding of Osborne County.

Use of Funds: Funds were spent on neccesary supplies to host the Leadership Program in Osborne.

Impact & Results: We had 16 graduates in the 2018-2019 Osborne County Leadership class. We well exceeded our
goal of 12. The class is in the process of developing their class project, an “Expo of Osborne County Businesses.” We
learned we were not clear enough at the start of the class they needed to conduct a class project. In future offerings,
we will be more intentional about allowing planning time during the class sessions.

Following are quotes from the class participants indicating their thoughts about the class:

“I have completely enjoyed being a part of the Osborne County Leadership Class. Meeting and getting to know
the class has been great. Touring and learning about the county has been enlightening and I plan to share
what I have seen and experienced.”

“I loved learning about what all the different businesses in Osborne county offer. Also, I loved learning about how the
smaller businesses got their start. This class is very eye-opening and beneficial to learning about what it takes to be a
leader in our communities.”

“It was amazing to find out how little I actually knew about Osborne County! There are so many opportunities right
in front of me that I couldn’t see before.”

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Osborne Public Library, 2019 “Movies Under the Stars”

Dane G. Hansen Community Grant Fund,
$1,200, Awarded 11/24/2018

Project Summary: For the past two years OPL has been having
“Movies Under the Stars” outside on the park side of the library.
This outdoor event provides an atmosphere of the old drive-in
movie. We have had three movies a year with the attendance
growing each time. Our last movie in October of 2018 had an
attendance of around 90 people. Outdoor movie licenses run from
$300 to $450 dollars depending on the company that the license
is purchased from. The age of the movie and expected attendance
also determines the price. The library director has been in contact
with the two movie companies that dispense these licenses. Each
company licenses certain motion picture companies with neither
company having a license to all motion pictures. The library would
also like to add one more movie to the summer line up because
people coming to the movies have requested another showing and
the library would like to add a show for older teens and adults.

Use of Funds: The funds were specifically used to purchase four movie licenses so the Osborne Public Library could
show movies outside in the park.

Impact & Results: The Osborne Public Library showed four movies in the the city park in 2019 in the months of
June, July, August and October. The first movie was to be shown in May but was cancelled due to rainy weather.
The movie was shown in June. The attendance stayed at around 40 people for each event. Having the movies in the
summer meant the start time was late and that cut down on attendance. The heat of the summer nights was also
a factor at keeping people away. In July, it was still over 90 degrees when the movie was over at midnight. All of the
movies were advertised by flyers and on Facebook. The Shine Organization in Osborne County volunteered their
services by providing popcorn and snacks at three of the movies. The library would like to continue this project next
year but cut back on the number of movies shown, and only have one late summer movie. The community does
enjoy the movies and we have different people attend the movies. The weather was a big factor in our attendance
this year and we can’t control that. This free community event is fun for ages of people that attend. The library is
grateful for the monies given so that we could continue this program without interruption.

Osborne Community Foundation, Main Street Beautification

Dane G. Hansen Community Grant Fund, $3,700, Awarded 4/25/2019

Project Summary: Flowers and sidewalk benches are a beautiful way to say,
“Welcome to our Home Town!”. Whether for local citizens living in our community,
or people passing through, we want to communicate a feeling of pride and a
welcoming atmosphere to everyone.

Use of Funds: We were able to purchase four benches, four whiskey barrels and
eight planters. The remainder was used for plants.

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Impact & Results: “Flowers, Flowers Everywhere!” was an article that ran in
the Osborne County Farmer summarizing the Main Street Flower Project,
that was funded by the Osborne County Community Foundation! Flowers
hung from the light poles, cascaded from the new planters and towered
in the corner barrels. It was a beautiful sight, and everyone noticed!
Comments flowed from the towns people about how welcoming and
pretty the street lined baskets and planters were. We were able to get
the benches placed, and the flowers planted and in place by Memorial
weekend, which is also our High Schools Alumni weekend.

This year was the first year for a friday night event on Main Street, to
encourage everyone in town, and all alumni to congregate for food and
fun. The benches and flowers were a big hit! That was the first event on
Main Street, but several more events occurred throughout the summer,
including the 4-H fair parade, homecoming parade and the vintage
market and concert. Big crowds witnessed the new benches and flowering
planters and baskets, so the impact was huge! In addition to the people
enjoying the beauty of the flowers, we had an amazing number of people
who helped with the ordering, planting and watering and clean-up of
the plants. Plants were watered for twenty weeks, by thirteen different
community groups or families. Young and old participated in the care and
upkeep of the flowers. We appreciate the Foundation’s support to make
this project a huge success. Thank you

Mt. Ayr Friends Church, Mt. Ayr Friends Siding SOS

Osborne County Community Action Fund, $2,500,
Awarded 4/25/2019

Project Summary: The grant is being requested to help fund the
cost to replace old, worn out Masonite siding with long-lasting
concrete siding, the church’s window with a new energy-efficient
one and for installing aluminum soffit, fascia and trim.

Use of Funds: The grant was used to help pay the contractor’s labor and materials that came in at his projected bid.
Sarver and McFadden Charitable Trusts each awarded $2,000 grants that were also used to help defray the cost of
labor and materials.

Impact & Results: The excitement of a 28 X 14 addition onto Fellowship Hall and enlarging and remodeling the
kitchen came at a cost when funds ran out before the exterior Masonite siding on the church could be completely
replaced. Knowing that their siding, in dire need of replacement, had openings large enough for mice and snakes to
enter and that their rural church members’ farm income kept them financially strapped, meant that replacing the
siding had to wait for a “rainy day”. It was a bitter pill to swallow and left a cloud over all.

The idea of a grant brought hesitancy and hope, hesitancy since church members had never once asked for any
outside financial help, yet hope, because what a big relief it would be to have help to finish the remainder of the
church with new siding, install aluminum soffit, fascia and trim and replace the last old window at the same time.

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The project simply would not have come to fruition without
the grant. Plus, there’s more! Children’s sunday school classes
are held in the church basement, which had leaked for years
and kept those with allergy and asthma problems away. Board
members, thinking it would take major foundation work and
funds to repair, were more than happy to spend the additional
$2,775 the siding contractor needed to replace some gutters
and downspouts and correctly hang others, no more leaks!

Downs Community Garden,
Downs Community Garden Grant

Dane G. Hansen Community Grant Fund,
$1,000, Awarded 4/25/2019

Project Summary: Grant monies will be directed toward
developing a children’s area in the Garden to incorporate
education and entertainment elements and toward
funding two educational programs for the community
youth through adults.

Use of Funds: Grant funds were spent acquiring supplies
for building enhancements for the children’s area of
the Community Garden and for materials necessary to
present two workshops for the public.

Impact & Results: The goal of the Downs Community
Garden is to be an enhancement to the community and
continue to be an educational resource to all ages.

An area for children to play in and learn from while
accompanying their parents or grandparents to the
Garden had been a desire to develop, and some of the
grant monies were used to construct educational activities
in the southwest corner of the Garden property. A water
table was constructed from PVC pipe and stock tank that
has been very popular with children since July. Along
with it is a chalkboard for use with sidewalk chalk. Being constructed, but not yet finished are root display boxes
built with two plexiglas sides to show root patterns below the soil surface. These will be planted with a variety of root
types in mind for comparison next season.

Another part of the grant request was funding for two workshops, one directed to youth of the community
and another for adults. Both workshops were held on Saturday, Sept 14, and planned to be a “family learning”
opportunity. The Garden made new “friends” as persons who had not participated in outreach programs before were
in attendance, and participation was multi-generational. Precut birdhouse kits, nature walk bingo game (including
a stop at the resthome’s aviary), a food preservation take home publication, and a sampling of creative uses of
preserved garden products were all components of the day.

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Osborne Area Chamber of Commerce,
2019 Oz Street Fest “Kids Zone”

Dane G. Hansen Community Grant Fund,
$1,000, Awarded 4/25/2019

Project Summary: The Kids Zone is a play area with activities and
inflatables to provide entertainment for children and young adults
at the Oz Street Fest. The Chamber is requesting funds to offset the
costs of equipment rental.

Use of Funds: The grant received from the foundation was used to
fund the Kids Zone at the 2019 Oz Street Fest. The Osborne Area
Chamber of Commerce worked collaboratively with Bounce-A-Roos
of Salina, KS and community volunteers in the Kids Zone.

Impact & Results: The Osborne Area Chamber of Commerce, with
direct support from the Osborne County Community Foundation,
was able to provide a healthy, family-friendly activity for children and
young adults during the afternoon hours of the Oz Street Fest on
September 7, 2019. The rental of the inflatables for the “Kid’s Zone”
was made possible by the foundation, and the Chamber was able to
offer these activities completely free of charge to those in attendance. Low income families were able to allow their
children to enjoy the inflatables this year. Chamber volunteers and student volunteers from USD 392 were able to
see the impact of the foundation in our community and how simple inflatables on a hot summer afternoon can
provide a fun and healthy activity to our area youth.

Alton American Legion Post 87,
Bathroom remodel and exterior painting

Dane G. Hansen Community Grant Fund,
$1,842, Awarded 4/25/2019

Project Summary: To improve the usability and attractiveness of existing
American Legion hall in Alton, Kansas.

Use of Funds: Funds were spent according to the original application. Exterior
of building was painted. Men’s and women’s restrooms were remodeled with
new paint, flooring, and new high rise toilets installed. New supply cabinets
were donated and installed.

Impact & Results: During the project it was discovered the water heater was
defective and it was replaced via private donation. Would not have been
discovered otherwise until structural damage had occurred. This project
makes the building more useable and attractive to the local population.

The building is used as the local polling place and project makes it more
suitable for this use. This project helped to enhanced community pride during
recent Alton Jubilee and was used extensively by visitors enjoying pie and
ice cream served there. A community pot luck dinner was hosted by area
churches on Jubilee Sunday.

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Beta Sigma Phi, Lasting Impressions - Part 2

Dane G. Hansen Community Grant Fund, Osborne County
Community Action Fund, $7,846, Awarded 4/25/2019

Project Summary: Downs participated in the First Impressions program
to find ways to improve our community. Lack of wayfarer signage was
one obstacle noted by the visitors. We want to replace the street signs
and add recreational/cultural interest signs.

Use of Funds: We were able purchase and complete our second phase
of sign replacement along Morgan Ave. and Hwy 24 in Downs Project.

Impact & Results: Our old street signs were dark and hard to read, these
new signs are much larger, easy to read and reflective. The signs arrived
and were able to be installed in time for the Annual Downs Celebration,
which always brings many alumni/visitors to town. We have received
from community members, business owners and visitors nothing but
compliments on the new addition of the signs. It is encouraging when
people notice the improvements made to our community. Our club
hopes to continue our beautification efforts and will encourage others to
get involved to help with the appearance/improvements of our town.

This project would have been very hard, if not impossible, to complete
without the funding provided by the Community Foundation. We
shared photos on facebook, had photos in the Downs News and
Times and also had it announced with our parade entry that the new
street signs were made possible through a grant from the Osborne
Community Foundation. We were very excited and thankful to be
awarded these funds.

Our city crew stepped right up and helped with the installation of the
new signs. In the attached photo of the city crew working on them,
you can see what our old street signs looked like in the front left
side, what an improvement the new signs are!

USD 272, Lakeside Jr/Sr High School Library

Dane G. Hansen Community Grant Fund, $1,300, Awarded 4/25/2019

Project Summary: The library at Lakeside Jr/Sr High is in need of new books and to
become automated with a new computer, scanning wand and catalog program.
The junior high students are to read one accelerated reader book every nine weeks.

Use of Funds: Books have been ordered for the library and the scanning wand to
make checking out books easier.

Impact & Results: The Lakeside library will have new accelerator reading books and
a new checkout system to make book check out easier for the students.

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