Dundy County project wins Ak-Sar-Ben grant

OMAHA, Neb. -- A Dundy County project and five others will receive Ak-Sar-Ben Friends matching funds grants.

The Cornerstone Center for Community Service by the Dundy County Foundation will share in the $5,000 grant.

When the Dundy County Elementary school was closed and placed on the real estate market, a group of citizens proposed that it be preserved and turned into a center for Community Engagement. The building is being renovated to better accommodate the needs of the community.

The matching-funds grants are open to community projects of any non-profit organization which strive to improve their community. This year's recipients were selected based on their demonstration of emerging community need and the proposed implementation of the project.

Others include a splash pad in Afton, Iowa; the Eastborough Neighborhood Swimming Pool in Lincoln, the Heritage Activities for Today's Students at the Stuhr Museum in Grand Island and the Lifelong Learning Program at the Millard Good Samaritan Center.

Ak-Sar-Ben Friends is a membership-based organization established to work with and support the Knights of Ak-Sar-Ben Foundation. They support $5,000 annually in Community Grants which are available to community-based 501(c)(3) organizations throughout Nebraska and Western Iowa striving to improve their communities. The organization's governing board must approve all applications.

Founded in 1895, the Knights of Ak-Sar-Ben Foundation is the premier philanthropic organization for the region's top corporate and civic leaders. Focused on youth, scholarships, agriculture, volunteerism, pro-business and economic growth, Ak-Sar-Ben provides $400,000 in scholarships annually, carrying out their mission of leveraging collective business leadership to build a more prosperous Heartland.