Starke County Youth Club Gets $1,000 Pop-Up Grant from Community Foundation

SCCF Board President Cheryl Orkis, former SCCF board member Barbara McLaughlin, Starke County Youth Club Executive Director Irene Szakonyi, and SCCF Director of Development Jessica Martinović (SCCF photo)

The Starke County Youth Club has gotten a $1,000 boost. The Youth Club was the recipient of this month’s pop-up grant from the Starke County Community Foundation.

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North Judson Food Pantry Gets $1,000 Pop-Up Grant from Starke County Community Foundation

Barbara McLaughlin, Northern Indiana Community Foundation Executive Director Jay Albright, Food Pantry Director Jose Marquez, and volunteer and community meal program director Debbie Marquez (Northern Indiana Community Foundation photo)

The North Judson United Methodist Church Food Pantry is the recipient of this month’s pop-up grant from the Starke County Community Foundation. Each month this year, the community foundation is giving $1,000 to a different nonprofit group, in celebration of the foundation’s 25th anniversary.

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Community Services of Starke County Gets Surprise Grant from Starke County Community Foundation

An organization supporting some of Starke County’s most vulnerable residents got a $1,000 boost Tuesday. Community Services of Starke County was awarded a “pop-up grant” from the Starke County Community Foundation. Foundation representatives surprised Community Services Executive Director Charmaine Dunkel with balloons and a giant check.

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Efforts to Promote Arts, Cultural Opportunities in Starke County Get $100,000 Boost

Efforts to bring murals, artisan markets, and a scale model of the solar system to Starke County have gotten a boost, thanks to the Lilly Endowment’s GIFT VII program. The Starke County Community Foundation says it’s gotten a $100,000 Community Leadership Grant. That money will be used to promote a number of arts and cultural opportunities the foundation is pursuing along with Constellation of Starke.

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Help Bring the Constellation of Starke Creatives’ Network Offline and Into the Community

Increasing the amount of art in Starke County and expanding opportunities for local creative people were a few areas of focus when executive committee members were working on the Constellation of Starke Regional Development Plan.

Community Foundation Director of Development Jessica Martinović shared one of the ways those ideas manifested last year.

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Knox School Board Receives Grants from Starke County Community Foundation

Starke County Community Foundation Director of Development Jessica Martinović presents checks to School Board President Kirk Bennett

More than $18,000 in grant funding was presented to the Knox School Board Monday. The school corporation is once again getting $15,000 for Kindergarten Countdown from the Hardesty Memorial Endowment Fund. Director of Curriculum and Instruction Peggy Shidaker told board members that the Countdown camp is designed for any incoming kindergarten student who hasn’t attended preschool.

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Signage Installed Around North Judson to Help Guide Trail Travelers

[Photo Source: NJ Town Photographer Peggy Bohac]
Bicyclists and pedestrians utilizing the trails in North Judson now have some signage to guide them.

Back in May, Prairie Trails Club Representatives Steve and Kathy Lucas came before Town Council members, requesting permission to place signs around town that would help guide people using the trails. The members unanimously approved the request.

As a reminder, The Erie Trail in North Judson runs a little more than 9 miles and is a part of two major trails that stretch across the whole country. Continue reading