Officers of the Bock Family Foundation Inc. distributed 32 grants totaling $65,740 at a Wednesday afternoon awards ceremony at the Perry Public Library.
Bock Family Foundation Inc. Executive Director Scott Finneseth announced the grant awardees, and Bock Family Foundation Inc. President John Powell handed out the checks at the hour-long event. The awardees briefly described their projects as they accepted the grants.
The foundation’s board of directors chose the spring grantees at its April 8 meeting. Members of the Bock Family Foundation Inc. include Powell, Brent Halling, vice president, Joyce Van Kirk, secretary, and directors Jean Bromert, Jon S. Peters, Harley Weyer and Rev. Paul Burrow.
Based in Perry and founded in 2002, the Bock Family Foundation Inc. has awarded more than $1.5 million to groups serving religious, charitable, scientific, literary or educational purposes in Dallas County.
The spring 2016 recipients are:
- First United Methodist Church, Perry: $5,000 for phase two of lighting project and the purchase of a projector and sound system
- HomeCare Services of Dallas County: $4,000 toward the purchase of an ADA vehicle
- Dallas County Hospital Foundation: $2,500 toward the purchase of vehicle extraction lift equipment and training
- Dallas County Public Health Nursing Services: $1,200 for the purchase of oral health care products
- Perry Volunteer Fire Department: $2,000 for fire hose testing
- Perry Public Library: $1,600 for the installation of vinyl flooring in the large meeting room
- Dallas County Conservation Board: $5,000 for “Let’s Connect,” the Perry-to-Woodward trail project
- Dallas County Conservation Board: $2,000 to purchase a new engraving system
- Dallas County Habitat for Humanity: $1,500 for the “Rock the Block” program
- Perry Elementary School: $2,380 to purchase milk tickets for kindergarten-second grade students
- Perry High School Instrumental Music Department: $1,000 toward the purchase of new sound equipment
- Perry High School Industrial Technology: $2,000 toward the remodel and update of the welding area
- Perry Middle School Vocal Music: $500 to purchase uniform shirts for band and choir students
- Perry Middle School Parent Teacher Organization: $500 toward the purchase of two bike racks and two benches
- Perry School Student Activities Department: $2,000 toward the installation of rubber flooring in the fitness room
- P.A.C.E.S.: $7,000 for the pre-kindergarten-fifth grade Learning Center Program 2015-2016
- Perry Child Development Center: $5,400 for professional carpet cleaning and scholarships
- Art on the Prairie/Pedal Perry: $600 to improve signage along the Raccoon River Valley Trail
- Fullhart/Carnegie Charitable Trust, doing business as Hometown Heritage: $2,000 toward an art exhibit by Gary Ernest Smith
- Perry Ministerial Association-Good Samaritan Fund: $2,200 for financial assistance for households in need
- Perry Fine Arts: $650 for July 4th entertainment by Brian Hanson at the First United Methodist Church
- First Presbyterian Church, Perry: $1,000 toward the replacement of the church boiler system
- Trinity Lutheran Church, Perry: $1,000 toward updating the lighting from incandescent to LED lighting
- Hispanics United for Perry: $810 for the Que Rico La Cultura! program
- Dawson Emergency Services Association, Inc.: $1,500 toward the purchase of three air bags with regulators
- Minburn Area Firefighters Association: $3,000 toward retrofitting the rescue unit into a brush and attack firefighting unit
- Minburn Community Betterment Group: $500 for the Meet Me in Minburn concert series
- Minburn Public Library: $400 toward the purchase of three computers
- Genesis Development: $5,000 for mental health therapy for underinsured children
- City of De Soto Fire Department: $500 toward the purchase of a laptop and computer software and setup
- Friends of Prairie Center Church, Inc.: $1,000 toward the repair of wooden window frames and purchase of storm windows
The Bock Family Foundation Inc. supports organizations operated for religious, charitable, scientific, literary or educational purposes. In order to qualify for grant funding, projects must be located in Dallas County, and applicants must be a nonprofit organization or a unit of state or local government.
The foundation awards grants in the fall and the spring. The application deadline for the fall 2016 cycle is Sept. 1. Questions about the grant guidelines and the application form may be directed to Finneseth at 515-465-4641 or P.O. Box 487, Perry, IA, 50220.
