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$8,000 in CFCC grants going toward busing, STEM, tools and defibrillator
by Gregory R. Norfleet · News · April 28, 2016


Four West Branch-area groups received a total of $8,000 in grants from the Community Foundation of Cedar County, the organization announced Friday.


Grants included $1,000 for the Friends of the West Branch Public Library, $3,000 for the Hoover Presidential Foundation, $2,000 for West Branch Community Schools, and $2,000 for West Branch Police Department.

• The police department will spend the $2,000 on an automated external defibrillator, Ofc. Catherine Steen, who applied for the grant, said. The department has two already and the department is trying to get one in each vehicle, she said. “It’s a lifesaver,” she said of why the police department asked for a defibrillator rather than other equipment. “Usually we’re the first on the scene, and it’s proven that (using one) gives us a better chance to save lives.”

• The Hoover Foundation will use the $3,000 to bus children from Cedar County schools to visit the Hoover Complex, spokesman Brad Reiners said. The Foundation has bus grants to reach out to schools across the state, but they must meet certain criteria, like receiving certain levels of Title I funding. This CFCC grant can help any school in the county. “This will give more students a chance … to see what is in their own back yard,” he said.

• Friends of the West Branch Public will put the $1,000 toward youth programming related to Science Technology Engineering and Math education. Library Director Nick Shimmin said the idea is to conduct science experiments that tie in with books read during story times. The library got the idea of fairly simple yet engaging experiments during story times from Iowa State University Extension’s Dionne Daedlow. “It’s great,” Shimmin said of the grant. “The Community Foundation is always very helpful.”

• The school district will purchase technical theater equipment with its $2,000. Principal Shannon Bucknell said drama director Molly McCarthy wrote for the grant to purchase tools to build sets for plays, like four new drills, a chop saw, table saw and more. Bucknell said that with the school district planning to build an addition that includes a new auditorium — should the voters approve it — the drama club did not want to purchase anything that would not move to the new theater.

“It’s pretty exciting” to get the grant, Bucknell said. “It’s a great help for our kids.” He said the theater shares tools with industrial tech and robotics, but sometimes needs overlap.

The Community Foundation awarded 33 non-profits a combined total of $83,810 grants this year, presenting the awards to recipients April 21 at the Cedar County Fairgrounds.

Some 45 groups applied for a total of $206,000 in funding.

Since first presenting grants in 2006, the group has given out $916,000, read a press release.

The money receives funds from the statewide County Endowment Fund program, which is funded through state gambling revenues and is intended for use in counties that do not have gaming licenses.