(Arnolds Park)– The Okoboji Foundation’s Youth In Philanthropy program recently awarded $46,500 in grants to three lakes area non-profit groups.
$24,500 was awarded to Camp Foster to rehabilitate a cabin; the Okoboji Community School District received $15,520 to assist in the funding of a theater pit cover; and Friends of The Milford Memorial Library received $6,480 for Wi-Fi hot spots that will be available for check out.
Okoboji Foundation Mindy Gress says selecting the grant recipients was a valuable experience again this year for the students as requests again exceeded the funds that were available…
“It was so impressive to sit with our students and listen to them talk about the many applications that they were presented for review, because as you said we received more in grant requests than what we have available to give, but they really looked at those different requests and took into consideration how could they make the most impact. How could they reach the most people. And so that’s where they came down to these three different projects and felt really good about what they were going to be doing with the dollars that they raised.”
Gress says they’re already looking forward to next year’s program…
“Each year, we know, much like the money, we receive more applications for this program than what we can take on. We do accept only 25 students into the program because we want to keep it intimate and really help the kids learn about philanthropy and focus on them. But yes, every August we ask for student of Okoboji, Spirit Lake and Harris-Lake Park to apply to our program and look forward to meeting 25 new kids each year.”
Gress also thanks the sponsors that helped make this year’s program possible.
