For the week of January 23 - 29, 2002

Bounty of funds come to county via ICF

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By DANA DUGAN
Express Staff Writer

Grants totaling nearly $198,000 were handed out to 27 Blaine and Camas county organizations by the Idaho Community Foundation at a luncheon Wednesday at the Sun Valley Brewing Company in Hailey.

The regional grants are made in support of ICF’s mission to "enrich life’s quality thought Idaho."

Many of the grants were made by the Deer Creek Philanthropic Gift Fund and the Barbara and Jim Cimino Foundation. Both are located in the Wood River Valley. Overall, the grants range in size from $1,000 to $51,000.

Among the Blaine County recipients were The Advocates for Survivors of Domestic Violence to develop a mentoring program for at-risk children, Blaine County Historical Museum and The Animal Shelter of Wood River Valley.

The largest sum, $51,000, was given to the city of Hailey to develop the Blaine Manor Foundation to "facilitate a comprehensive and integrated long term care delivery system."

The Blaine County Recreation District received funds to help support Galena Lodge, Blaine County Seniors Council’s grant was for meals-on-wheels, the Carey Public School received money for an after-school homework program, and the Caritas Choral was given funds to help fund operating expenses.

Bellevue received $8,000 to build a skate park, while Hailey received funds for new playground equipment. Other recipients were The College of Southern Idaho, the Company of Fools for a student matinee program, the Hailey Public Library to help enlarge the collection of Spanish language materials, the Hailey Ski Team, the Hospice of Wood River Valley, the Idaho Conservation League, Ketchum Historical Society, Rotarun Ski Area, the Sagebrush Equine Training Center for the Handicapped for a summer program for special-needs children, St. Luke’s Wood River Foundation to help run Romancing the Bean, a youth-run business, Crisis Hotline, the Wood River Land Trust to help fund the continued restoration of the Nelson home in Hailey and the Sun Valley Center for the Arts for bi-lingual children’s art classes.

While accepting the grants a representative of each organization said a few words about their work and what the money would be used for.

"What a vital piece of the puzzle these funds are. It helps us do what we do," said Rusty Wilson, artistic director of the Company of Fools.

 

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