$10K awarded to five organizations by community foundation

Chris Crook, Zanesville Times Recorder
·1 min read
Lisa Rooks, executive director of the Zanesville Civic League Community Center, said he is grateful for a MCCF grant to help the center replace a fence around the playground.
Lisa Rooks, executive director of the Zanesville Civic League Community Center, said he is grateful for a MCCF grant to help the center replace a fence around the playground.

ZANESVILLE — The Muskingum County Community Foundation recently awarded grants to five local organizations as part of its fall grant competition.

Recieving $10,000 to help fund capital improvement projects were;

  • Abbot Senior Living for the three handicapped door openers.

  • Breaking Free Therapeutic Riding Center to build a porch roof and concrete approach area for riding arena access.

  • FoodWorks Alliance to purchase a 60-gallon steam kettle.

  • Nelson T. Gant Foundation for building repairs.

  • Zanesville Civic League for playground fencing.

Lisa Rooks, executive director at the Zanesville Civic League Community Center, said she feels safer now knowing a taller fence will be installed around the center's playground area.

"It will be a big improvement for us," she said. "I am very thankful for what they are doing for the children of the Zanesville Civic League."

The center needs a taller fence because people are climbing over the waist-high fence there now, leaving trash and debris, and attempting to sleep on the covered picnic tables. The fence and Little Free Library have both been damaged, and Rooks worries the playground equipment is next.

"The whole purpose is the safety of the kids, to make sure our play space is clean and healthy," she said.

MCCF CEO Brian Wagner said in a release choosing five awardees from the 22 applications was tough. “The five that were selected rose to the top, but a lot of wonderful ideas were submitted.”

This was the first year for the foundation's fall grant competition. The foundation awards $1.5 million annually through grant programs and scholarships.

The foundation's next fundraising event is the annual Groundhog Day Celebration on Friday, January 28, 2022, at the Zane State College Campus Center. Tickets will be available online only starting Dec. 6.

This article originally appeared on Zanesville Times Recorder: $10K awarded to five organizations by community foundation