Lake Benton community projects receive donations

By Dan Kuss
lbnews@itctel.com

The Lake Benton Area Foundation and the Southwest Initiative Foundation awarded grants to several non-profit projects within the Lake Benton community for 2010.

Loy Woelber, Superintendent, Lake Benton School District #404, accepted two checks. One for the sixth grade class National History Day competition project in the amount of $300 and another for the surfacing project at the new playground in the amount of $800.

Woelber and Principal Ryan Nielsen have been researching playground surface types to replace the pea rock that is currently in place at the playground in front of the school.

The pea rock is perfectly fine and legal, but causes a hazard when it spills onto the cement sidewalk. In the interest of student, staff and visitor safety, the pea rock will be moved to the large playground behind the school and be replaced with a more suitable surface for the front of the school.

Gary Serie, representative for the Southwest Minnesota Honor Flight, accepted a check for $400 to help send WWII veterans from Lake Benton to visit the WWII Memorial in Washington D.C. in September. The flights are free of charge for all WWII veterans and include their stay in a hotel and meals.

Janet Kuhn of the Lake Benton Library Board accepted a check for the Lake Benton Library for a new computer and book purchases in the amount of $1,000.

Joyce Knutson and Ann Lichtsinn of the Lake Benton Opera House Board accepted a check for the Lake Benton Opera

House in the amount of $1,000 to upgrade the Opera House sound system to include wireless headsets for some actors.

Total grants disbursed this year were for $3,500 for various community enhancement projects.

Representatives from Lake Benton Area Foundation were Carl Burk and Patti Peterson.

These granting funds are made possible every year from income from the Lake Benton Area Endowment Fund through Southwest Initiative Foundation. If you are interested in contributing for the betterment of the Lake Benton area, you can donate to the Lake Benton Area Foundation by contacting the following board members: Carl Burk, Rick and Mary Middlen, Vern and Mary Paschke, Jodi Weber, Pam Nibbe, Jim and Pam Veire, Janet Kuhn, Vince Robinson, Patti Peterson and Glenn Krog, honorary board member.

Total grants distributed from the Lake Benton Area Foundation and Southwest Initiative Fund over the last three years amounted to $7,370.

If you are interested in becoming involved with the Lake Benton Area Foundation, please contact one of the board members.

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