PCCFF Update: Challenge grant yet to be met, help still needed from public

The end of the year is coming up fast, and funds are still needed by the Perkins County Community Foundation Fund to help us meet the challenge grant that we received two years ago and must be met by Dec. 31, 2019.

The PCCFF is $40,000 short of reaching the goal of raising $100,000 in two years. If this is accomplished, the foundation will be awarded another $50,000 by an anonymous donor. The money, a total of $150,000, will be put into the PCCFF’s endowment account and will allow the PCCFF to be able to put more money back into the county through projects to help Perkins County grow and thrive. 

Have you given yet? Please consider giving today. There are a multitude of ways that a person can give to the foundation. For more information on different vehicles of giving, please contact our Treasurer, Michelle Ross, at 308-882-8469 or myself at 308-352-8527.

Collaboration is a win/win for library

Because of collaboration between the Perkins County Community Foundation Fund and a donor-advised fund at the Nebraska Community Foundation, the Hastings Memorial Library in Grant is the recipient of a Youth Engagement Grant in the amount of $4,000. The grant will allow the library to purchase 12 new Chromebook laptops, a storage/charging cart and software.

The library was thrilled to have the opportunity to add a mobile computer lab to the library’s collection and services, according to Librarian Robin Quinn. “The coding, web building and other STEAM based activities we will be able to provide for our youth population is frankly a game changer,” she said.

Quinn said that the benefit of the mobile computer lab will focus on providing technological resources and instruction to the youth who use the library.

“These laptops will allow us to expand our existing programs and add new facets that haven’t been possible before, such as coding, web development and writing workshops, regardless of the access to technology the children have at home,” she said.

This is a fairly new program and we are so excited that the Perkins County library is one of the first ones to apply and receive the award! Our library is indispensable to our community and anytime we can make it stronger is a win for the whole county.

Youth Engagement Grants are made in three distinct areas: planning, enhancement and catalyst. According to the guidelines of the grant, community leadership must have been exhibited in the grant application indicating the likely sustainability of impacts attained.

As Hastings Memorial Library prepares to host a Library Innovation Studio this fall, the grant couldn’t have come at a better time, Quinn said.

“We plan to have the new computer lab up in time to use in conjunction with the Library Innovation Studio we have coming in November,” Quinn said. “The timing really was perfect.”

Besides Quinn, the library is led by employees Val Foster and Sarah Pick, Extension Educator Deb Kuenning and volunteer Elisa Francisco. The staff is busy year round offering such programs as the youth summer reading program and the after school program, along with many other community learning opportunities and classes, Quinn said. To learn more about the library, their services, or about their upcoming programs, contact them at 308-352-4894.