Scott County ag learning program becomes "hit of the [Mississippi Valley] Fair" with Farm Bureau's help
WEST DES MOINES, IOWA - Sept. 3, 2009 - Since 2005, the Iowa Farm Bureau Federation (IFBF) Community Enhancement Grant program has awarded 102 grants - totaling more than $100,000 - to neighborhood organizations around the state. Today, Farm Bureau continues its tradition of building community strength by announcing its support for four rescue and education programs in Taylor, Clinton, Scott and Madison counties.
"Safety and education programs provide Iowa communities with stable foundations," said IFBF Community Resources Director Barb Lykins. "Farm Bureau helps reinforce those foundations by actively supporting the local people and organizations that make those programs work."
In Davenport, Anything's Kaasa-ble, an area non-profit organization that educates youth about poultry and egg farming, received $500 from Iowa Farm Bureau and $500 from Scott County Farm Bureau to establish an ABC's of Learning Animal Birthing Center. For the past ten years, Anything's Kaasa-ble co-founders Gary and Denise Kaasa have visited North Scott schools, sharing information about a chicken's life cycle and bringing in eggs for students to watch them hatch. The annual visits have become a hit, and this year the Kaasas were invited to bring their show to the Mississippi Valley Fair.
"We were told by members of the fair board that we were the hit of the fair!" said Gary. "A couple days after the end of the fair the general manager [of the fair] called to say that he wants us back next year." The Kaasas' next goal is to broaden the presentation's theme, focus on the role farmers play in the care and production of livestock and start an Animal Birthing Center similar to the Iowa State Fair's Animal Learning Center. The grant from Farm Bureau will help the couple reach that goal.
"Farm Bureau realized this was an important project, and they were among the first to jump in," said Gary. "They did a lot for us, and it's very much appreciated."
Agriculture education also got a lift in Winterset, where the schools' ag and science department received two $1,000 grants, one from Iowa Farm Bureau and one from Madison County Farm Bureau, to purchase greenhouse supplies for its new year-round greenhouse for 7th-12th graders.
In Bedford, the city's volunteer ambulance service received $500 from the Iowa Farm Bureau and $470 from the Taylor County Farm Bureau to put toward the purchase of two defibrillators. Bedford is nearly a half hour away from a hospital, making adequate staff and equipment important to the city and surrounding communities.
In Clinton County, the Welton Volunteer Fire Department got one step closer to its goal of purchasing a 2002 Freightliner Rescue vehicle with the help of a $750 grant from the county Farm Bureau and a matching $750 grant from Iowa Farm Bureau. The vehicle will replace the department's 1978 rescue van, which services a rural community spanning 40 square miles.
Community Enhancement Grants are awarded on a monthly basis to projects that fall within the four key areas of IFBF's strategic direction: farmers and agriculture; community and rural development; youth and education; and health and wellness. For more information about the program, or to request an application, call your county Farm Bureau office.
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