The Wabash Valley Community Foundation distributes $166K in grants

David Kronke, The Tribune-Star, Terre Haute, Ind.
·2 min read

Apr. 17—The Wabash Valley Community Foundation, Inc. distributed $166,300 in grants to 10 Vigo County nonprofit organizations at a luncheon Wednesday at the Terre Haute Convention Center.

WVCF President and CEO Beth Tevlin told those accepting checks, "Without you, we would be unable to fill the goal of our partners to benefit our community."

Awards and their recipients included:

—$50,000 to the Friends of Rea Park for the rehabilitation of the historic Rea Park Clubhouse.

—$25,000 for Wabash Valley Goodwill's Excel Center computer lab, specifically for the purchase of desktop computers, software, desks, chairs, IT support and equipment. The Excel Center seeks to assist the 30,000 people in West Central Indiana who have no high school diploma; the computer system will help assess each participant's education level.

—$25,000 to Terre Haute Boys & Girls Club for the purchase of color-coordinated and age-appropriate program space furniture for the Learning Lab.

—$25,000 to the Vigo County Veterans Memorial Park to build Racer Air Plaza near Memorial Stadium, where it will display four refurbished retired military airplanes.

—$10,000 went to the Pride Center of Terre Haute support community building programs, health and wellness initiatives and education programs serving the LGBTQ+ community in Vigo County.

—$13,500 was given to the Providence Food Pantry of West Terre Haute for an additional walk-in cooler. The food pantry feeds about 1,700 people a month.

—$8,000 went to the Terre Haute Community Band to purchase new music for the Sinfonietta Pops Orchestra.

—$2,500 for the 2024 Linda Luebke Strings Festival, which is open to children throughout Indiana and Illinois and this year will have the them "World Culture."

—$3,300 for the Team Acorn Triathlon Club to cover the costs of coaching, equipment and facility operations for summer triathlon programs.

—$4,000 was given to The Maple Center to implement a "70 Days to a Healthy Lifestyle" program.

The WVCF has a distribution committee that reviews all proposals from applicants and selects the recipients.

Tevlin told the audience that the Lilly Endowment Inc. had raised its matching grant money, and that if the WVCF can raise $1.12 million, Lilly will add $2.25 million to the total.

David Kronke can be reached at 812-231-4232 or at david.kronke@tribstar.com.