Renovating a basketball court or adding a sign to the outskirts of town may seem like small steps, but in some rural Kansas communities they are part of a bigger effort to enhance the quality of life for the area’s citizens.
For their work, several communities and individuals have been honored with awards for 2015. The awards were given by the Kansas PRIDE program a partnership of K-State Research and Extension, the Kansas Department of Commerce, and Kansas PRIDE, Inc.
Through the program, communities identify what they want to preserve, create or improve for the future. Volunteers form a local PRIDE organization that works with K-State Research and Extension and the Kansas Department of Commerce to accomplish its goals.
“Kansas PRIDE is a volunteer-led organization. These awards allow an opportunity to highlight the hard work the volunteers provide for their communities and the state,” said Jaime Menon, extension assistant for community development in the PRIDE program. “Each community has its own unique structure, culture and assets, and Kansas PRIDE volunteers work to bring out the best in their communities and promote what they have to offer. Through the work of these volunteers, Kansas communities continue to thrive and be a great place to live and raise a family.”
Six Kansas PRIDE Capital Awards were given in recognition of a special project.
• Alton PRIDE – Social Capital Award for its Chocolate Festival.
• Bushton PRIDE – Built Capital Award for the “Welcome to Bushton” sign.
• Lenora PRIDE – Human Capital Award for the “Live Well Lenora” program and Cultural Capital Award for the “Lenora Jubilee.”
• Potwin PRIDE – Built Capital Award for its ball field fence project.
• Randolph PRIDE – Social Capital Award for a Park Bridge to Bridge Generations.
Kansas PRIDE Community Partners Awards went to four individuals and one organization.
• Alton PRIDE – Deana Roach
• Bushton PRIDE – Jerry Huff
• Iola Community Involvement Task Force/PRIDE – Donna Houser
• Lenora PRIDE – Lenora Public Library
• Humboldt PRIDE – Loren Korte
Kansas Partner in PRIDE Awards went to five local PRIDE organizations.
• Dover was awarded $509 for a basketball court renovation.
• Grainfield was awarded $1,250 for Christmas lighting.
• Lenora was awarded $1,918 for “Welcome to Lenora” banners.
• Iola was awarded $2,000 for park directional and other signage.
• Lakin was awarded $2,000 for a basketball court renovation.
The Partners in PRIDE (PIP) grant is a funding opportunity provided by Kansas PRIDE, Inc. as a one-to-one match with communities that can provide funding up to the maximum amount of $2,000 per project for PRIDE communities that qualify. PIP grant applications are available in two rounds of funding per year. To date nearly $30,000 has been awarded to PRIDE community projects.