Fall 2023 Grant Recipients Announced
The Nemaha County STEP Foundation Board of Directors has announced recipients for the second-round of 2023 grants. The grants are awarded for charitable purposes to enhance and improve the quality of life for the residents of Nemaha County Kansas.
The Community HealthCare System Eastridge will be receiving $1,150 from the Nemaha County Dementia Fund to become music and memory certified. Eastridge cares for the elderly in the community and county. It provides both skilled nursing services as well as nursing home services. Lura Flentie, Director of Senior Services, explained the positive impact the music and memory certification will have. “The Music and Memory program is a program that uses personalized music to activate cognition and improve family visits as well as boosting spirits and decreasing resident pain. Personalized playlists brighten moods for individuals and have a dramatic impact on people experiencing cognitive issues. Studies have shown that favorite songs provide respite, ease transitions and reduce caregiver stress. It is our hope that using Music and Memory in our facility will awaken the brain and with it the rich trove of memories that are associated with familiar songs. Over the years Music and Memory has benefited thousands of individuals living with dementia and other types of physical and cognitive challenges. New research supports field observations that personalized music playlists can transform lives. With our continuing work to lower the number of mood-altering medications and use non-pharmaceutical approach to reducing depression, anxiety, and chronic pain we feel that Music and Memory may play a large part in our work. It has also been shown to reduce fall risks and resistance to care, helps improve swallowing and nutrition, and increases engagement and socialization with family, friends and staff.”
Eastridge Nursing Facility will receive funding to buy a geriatric manikin for the completion of their nursing skills and certified nursing assistant work; $1,631 from the General Endowment Fund and $750 from the Glen J. Meyer Advisory Fund will be given.
Nemaha Central Elementary and Middle School (NCEMS) will be receiving $1,500 from the General Endowment Fund to purchase a molded bucket swing for students with disabilities to use on the playground. According to Krista Stallbaumer, Student and Family Liaison, “NCEMS would like to increase opportunities for inclusivity for students with disabilities during recess. There are multiple areas that we plan to improve, and it is also our intent to tap into multiple funding sources. The areas that we plan to improve are the following: Install approximately 2,600 square feet of unitary rubber accessibility matting over the wood chips. The combination of the rubber matting on top of the wood chips creates a critical fall height of 20 feet. This product meets the ADA guidelines for a firm, stable, slip-resistant, and permanent surface. Replace an existing swing with a molded bucket swing with a harness. The product overview indicates [that] ‘The Molded Bucket Seat with Harness and Chains provides greater stability for kids with limited upper-body strength.’. Together, these improvements will increase the participation of all students, including those with physical disabilities.”
The next grant recipient for the fall grant cycle is the Northeast Kansas Arts Foundation. It will be receiving $3,273.87 ($2,273.87 from the General Endowment Fund and $1,000 from the Glen J. Meyer Advisory Fund) for a portable sound system. The system will have a positive impact in the community by transforming existing spaces into temporary theaters.
The Sabetha Community Hospital (SCH) will be receiving a grant award of $1,500 from the General Endowment Fund. Jennifer Ploeger, community outreach coordinator and grant writer, shared the following in the grant application; “In 2022, SCH saw a need and hired an Occupational Therapist who focused on Pediatric Occupational Therapy. Since, the SCH Rehabilitation Department has seen the need for Pediatric Physical Therapy in our community, SCH hired a new Physical Therapist. Jena Winkler Halls, who began working in late June of this year. Though Dr. Jena Halls can see patients of all ages, she will focus her practice on pediatrics. Pediatric Physical Therapy is a new service at SCH; therefore, some basic equipment is needed to be able to provide our patients with the most comprehensive services. Dr. Jena Halls has created a list of essential items needed.”
Seneca Downtown Impact will be receiving $1,854.00 to assist with the creation of a new, mobile friendly website focused on visitors and tourists; $1,354 from the General Endowment Fund and $500 from the Glen J. Meyer Advisory Fund will be provided. Kylee Bergstrom, SDI Executive Director shared, “Our project is for the creation of a website for the Seneca Area Chamber and Downtown Impact that is focused on visitors and tourists. We currently do not have our own website; our web presence is a part of the website for the City of Seneca. This website is, of course, geared towards locals who are looking for information about how to pay their city bill, sign up for recreational leagues, etc. This is currently where we post events, but it is not an ideal situation. We want to create the website ComeSeeSeneca.com, a domain name we currently own. This site will feature what visitors are looking for including all the events, shopping, restaurants, and entertainment available in Seneca and the surrounding area. It will also be host to robust business listings that the individual businesses can control. They will be able to post their own events, sales, and more that visitors would be interested in. We will post all of our events to this website as well as have the capabilities for people to register for events through this website. This is currently something that is not supported on our shared website. With this new website that is geared towards tourists and people looking specifically for events, places to see, activities to participate in, and places to stay, we hope to increase the number of visitors to Seneca.”
The final grant award will be awarded to USD 115 (Nemaha Central) in the amount of $4,000 from the CNB/CNB Custody/Invisor “Underprivileged Children’s Fund”. Funds will be used to purchase coats, hats, gloves, backpacks, shoes, meals, including snack milk and medical expenses for students who are underprivileged. Funds could also be used for other miscellaneous items (for the children need) that are necessary for school or physical needs.
Congratulations to all the grant recipients. The online grant application is open and available at www.nemahastep.org. Grants are awarded twice a year through the STEP Foundation with the next deadline being January 15, 2024.