Grants awarded

The Portland Foundation on Tuesday announced grant awards totaling more than $270,000 for its winter cycle.

The foundation announced grants for 20 local projects totaling $267,555 — they were selected from 29 applications — and an additional $2,583.95 in Teacher Creativity Mini Grants.

“As always, The Portland Foundation is very pleased to be able to award these grants,” said foundation executive director Doug Inman in a press release. “The generosity of Jay County citizens over the last 72 years allows the Foundation to carry out its mission - to enhance the quality of life for the people in Jay County.”

The largest of the grants — $40,000 — went to Pennville Community Gym for roof repairs.

John Jay Center for Learning received $31,800 to fund its SkillsTrac Industrial Maintenance training program for Jay County High School seniors. The organization also received $10,000 for Spanish speakers learning English and English speakers learning Spanish, $6,000 for its science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM) camps and $6,000 for its senior learning series.

Arts Place received a $30,000 grant to fund its MusicWorks program. It also got a $5,000 grant for its summer concert series at Hudson Family Park.

Grants of $25,000 went to Jay Community Center for its Boomer Sports program and Jay County Drug Prevention Coalition for its peer addiction support team. A Better Life – Brianna’s Hope received $20,000 to fund addiction treatment for Jay County residents.

Jay County Pee Wee Football was awarded $15,000 for the purchase of new helmets, and $10,000 grants were to Jay County 4-H for roof repairs at its exhibit hall and the purchase of an ice machine and to Jay County 4th of July Committee to fund its annual activities.

Other grants were as follows: $8,000 for West Jay Community Center’s summer day camp, $6,000 for Jay County REMC’s Dolly Parton Imagine Library; $5,000 to Kate’s Kart for new books; $5,000 for Jay County Historical Society’s Heritage Festival; $5,000 to Indiana Run for the Fallen for the 9/11 Never Forget Mobile Exhibit; $2,455 to Jay-Randolph Developmental Services for client materials; and $2,300 for Dunkirk Beatification Committee’s Webster Depot Park summer concert series.

Teacher Creativity Mini Grants are awarded up to $300 to help cover the costs of learning experiences which teachers feel are important to their students but are outside the budget of their school.

Receiving grants of $300 each were Carol Bantz (West Jay first grade) for books, Kelly Bricker (Redkey/West Jay) for rocket kits and supplies for ceramic art projects, Holly Farr (West Jay fourth grade) for indoor recess games and Erin Roesch (Redkey fifth grade) for rocket kits. Additional grants were for $299.10 to Erin Homan (General Shanks preschool) for learning center items and event support; $273.75 to Natalie Corcoran (Redkey second grade) for the Sing Your Way Through Phonics program, $262.10 to Julie Szymczak (junior-senior high special education) for ergonomic desk chairs and $249 to Beth Mathewson for a subscription to Digital SLP.

The next grant deadline for grant applications is June 26.