(KMZA)--The Nemaha County STEP Foundation Board of Directors has announced recipients for the second-round of 2022 grants. The grants are awarded for charitable purposes to enhance and improve the quality of life for the residents of Nemaha County Kansas. There were twelve applications. Unfortunately, three applicants were not able to receive funding this grant cycle.

From the STEP General Endowment Fund, the Nemaha County Historical Society will be receiving $750 for the preservation of historical USD 115 documents. Cathy Enneking, grant writer, explained the purpose for the grant in the application. “The spring of 2022, USD 115 purchased a digital kiosk. This device features a touch screen allowing users to view a multitude of information including information about school organizations and activities, yearbooks, etc. I volunteered to upload content to this device, specifically documents pertaining to the history of USD 115 and all of the schools that have consolidated to become USD 115: Nemaha Central, Nemaha Valley HS (Oneida HS, Kelly HS, Sts. Peter and Paul HS, Seneca HS), B & B HS (Baileyville HS, St. Benedict HS). As I digitized these originals, I could see the important school history they contained. I also felt there needed to a hard copy collection available for ease of reading, so this led to the second part of this proposed project. It is my desire to print books of the 3 collections--B&B. The Bugler, St. Benedict The Chimes, and Baileyville The Bugler. I would want to have a copy of each book at the museum and at the public library and to related entities.”

The Sabetha Community Hospital will be receiving $1,250 from the STEP General Endowment Fund this grant cycle. The hospital will purchase a new audiometer for use in newborn hearing screening. “Every baby born at the hospital is screened at birth or shortly after, per the requirements of the state of Kansas,” explained Debby Thompson, Public Relations liaison. “The hospital takes the health and well being of all our patients very seriously. This includes the hearing status of newborns. It is very important to catch hearing loss as soon as possible.”

Two local ball associations have been awarded funds from the Glen J. Meyer Advisory Fund. The Centralia Ball Association has been awarded $1,000 for equipment to properly maintain the ball field and to transplant four shade trees. The Corning Recreation Association has been awarded $3,000 from the Glen J. Meyer Advisory Fund to replace the existing lights with new LED lights and four new poles. Both grants will make investments into children and communities.

The following four applications for the CNB/CNB Custody/Invisor Underprivileged Children Fund were awarded. The Centralia Schools ($1,170) to provide athletic shoes and warm-up shirts to students who are economically disadvantaged. The Mary Cotton Public Library ($2,000) to provide wireless internet access to the underprivileged children. The Kids Kloset ($2,500) to provide clothes, food, toiletries, gym clothes, and shoes for children in need. USD 115 ($2,000) to provide basic needs as to low-income students. Some examples include tennis shoes, backpacks, nap mats, coats, gloves, lice treatment, hair brushes and other basic hygiene needs.

Congratulations to the 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, 2023.