At left: Representing organizations whose projects received grant support from the St. Ignace Area Community Foundation Wednesday, November 19, are (from left) teacher at Gros Cap Elementary School Kari Marshall, Michilimackinac Historical Society board member Dave Walker, teachers at St. Ignace Elementary School Sherrie Gustafson and Marcia Bishop, Chamber of Commerce Director Janet Peterson, directors of Mackinac County Children's Toy Drive Sally Hazen and Wendy Colegrove, and Intermediate School District President Pete Everson. By the time a local child turns five, he or she could receive 60 hardcover books, one per month beginning at birth. The free book program offered by Eastern Upper Peninsula Intermediate School District (ISD) received a $2,000 grant from the St. Ignace Youth Fund and the Kiwanis Club of St. Ignace Fund. The funding was announced Wednesday, November 19, at the St. Ignace Area Community Foundation fall grant award program.

Nine other organizations were given foundation grants, totaling $10,065, at the St. Ignace Public Library Wednesday evening. Also, three hockey scholarships of $215 each from the Chipper Huskey Memorial Fund will be given at a later date, said Jim North, foundation chair. Scholarship recipients are Toby Ferguson, Hunter Frazier, and Kody Rickley.

Pete Everson, president of the ISD, said the goal of the book program is to extend services of the Intermediate School District to include preschool children. With a goal of promoting an interest in books among preschool children, the books are mailed to children in Mackinac, Chippewa, and Luce counties as part of a program called Imagination Library. Currently 700 children receive the books. Any child is eligible to participate and a parent, guardian, or grandparent can register a child by contacting the ISD.

The Mackinac County Children's Toy Drive received $1,000 from the Kiwanis Club of St. Ignace Fund. Sally Hazen and Wendy Colegrove, directors of the drive, said the group distributed toys to more than 300 children last year and they expect the number of children in need to double this Christmas season.

LaSalle High School will receive $500 for its Just Desserts program from the Sault Tribe Youth Activities Fund to help with the cost of a banquet and academic achievement medals for students who have been on the honor roll for three concurrent marking periods.

The St. Ignace Area Wrestling Team received $500 toward the purchase of a new wrestling mat from the American Legion Youth Activities Fund. The group only has two mats and one is old, said Mr. North.

The Tribal Youth Recycling Project received $735 from the Sault Tribe Youth Activities Fund. The youth recycle paper, which helps relieve area businesses of having to handle empty boxes and papers, said Mr. North.

A grant of $1,130 was awarded to St. Ignace Elementary School for a First Grade Listening Center. The money comes from the Michigan Community Foundation's Youth Project Fund. First grade teachers Marcia Bishop and Sherrie Gustafson say they will purchase a listening center for each of their classrooms. The center will allow up to eight students to read along and listen to a book being read to them.

Gros Cap School will receive $1,000 for a Senteo system, paid for in part by the LaSalle Alumni Fund and Michigan Community Foundation's Youth Project Fund.

The school will purchase an interactive remote control system that works with smartboards, said Kari Marshall, first grade teacher at Gros Cap.

"What's really great about these things is that every child can answer questions immediately," she said.

The process will allow teachers to assess whether the student understands a concept, she said.

The St. Ignace Chamber of Commerce received $1,000 from the Sault Tribe Youth Activities Fund to develop a business directory that will inform visitors and residents of specific items and services available in the area. Janet Peterson, chamber director, said work on the directory would begin in January.

The St. Ignace Downtown Development Authority received $1,000 from the Spirit of the Straits Fund and the Sault Tribe Youth Activities Fund for the nineweek St. Ignace summer fireworks program. Other events are planned prior to the Saturday evening firework display, said Mrs. Peterson, including a music festival and evening sidewalk sales.

"We're trying to encourage activity downtown," she said, "and get people downtown to stay for fireworks, as well."

The Michilimackinac Historical Society received $1,200 from the American Legion Youth Activities Fund and the Sault Tribe Youth Activities Fund for a copier and printer for a genealogical program at Fort de Buade Museum.

In 2008, the foundation has given out more than $33,000 in grants and scholarships, said Mr. North, and more than $220,000 has been awarded since it was founded in 1995. The foundation has 16 endowed funds that total about $700,000. The money of the endowed funds is never spent; only interest and dividends are used.

"Lately, that's been a little challenging, but we're holding our own," he added, "We have it broadly invested so that we can work our way through ups and downs of the markets."

Grants and scholarships are awarded in the spring and fall each year and benefit local groups and students.