More Than $12,000 Goes To Island Community in Foundation Awards
By Bernie Nguyen

Jennifer Bloswick is executive director of the Mackinac Island Community Foundation, which awarded $13,982 in grants this spring.

The Mackinac Island Community Foundation awarded 12 grants Saturday, May 13, with a total value of $12,482.46.

Mackinac State Historic Parks received a grant of $875 to purchase microfilms of the Mackinac Island Town Crier from 1954 to 1996 from Clark Historical Library in Mt. Pleasant. The grant came from the Preservation of Historic Documents and Photographs Fund and the Foundation's general endowment.

The Mackinac Horseman's Association received two grants, $445 from the Horse Tradition Fund will go toward promotional materials for an art raffle featuring artist Elizabeth Pollie and $2,000 from the Foundation's general fund for the purchase of a sprinkler system for the horse ring at Great Turtle Park, to help control dust and keep the sand damp for riders.

The City of Mackinac Island received a $1,500 grant from the general fund for street signs in Harrisonville.

The Mackinac Arts Council received $1,000 from the Marlee Brown Community Arts Fund toward its summer music festival programming, which will help it to be free for all attendees.

The Ski Club received a grant of $365 from the general fund for the design and purchase of an updated ski trail map.

The City of Mackinac Island Recreation Department received two grants from the Youth Advisory Committee, $560 to support the continuation of the arts program at Great Turtle Park for children ages five to 13, and $1,049 to help sponsor summer volleyball and soccer camps for Island children.

The Mackinac Island Medical Center received two grants, $284 grant from the Harry Myron Fund to purchase a new digital camera and printer to document assault cases and $1,527.48 grant for a mechanical ventilator to be used at the Medical Center, from the Harry Myron Fund, the Health and Medical Fund, and the Beaumont Fund.

The City of Mackinac Island received a $2,000 grant through the Foundation's General Fund to help with upkeep of the flower baskets on Main and Market streets .

Mackinac Island Public School received $376.98 from the Youth Fund to equip its playground with a handicapped swing.

The Mackinac Island Community Foundation has assets of $5,039,000, about $4 million of it endowed, and it contributes to local projects in formal granting sessions to nonprofit organizations and agencies twice a year and for emergencies throughout the year. It will disburse an estimated $42,950 this year from earnings on its endowed funds for general projects and another $62,000 for specified purposes, from grants set up for Mackinac State Historic Parks, Trinity Episcopal Church, Wawashkamo Golf Links, the Mackinac Island Medical Center, and Mackinac Island Public Library.

The Foundation focuses its energies in three areas, community livability, health care, and conservation and preservation, said Executive Director Jennifer Bloswick.

Serving on the board of directors are Chairman Wesley Maurer Jr., Vice-chairman R. Daniel Musser III, President Bradley Chambers, Secretary Margaret Doud, Treasurer Michael Young, and trustees Penny Barr, Jack Dehring, Charles Kleber, Kimberly Kolatski, Kathleen Lewand, John Lore, Mary K. McIntire, Walter North, Carole Rearick, and Lorna Puttkammer Straus.