Last Tuesday brought 50 people together to celebrate the granting of $33,450 to organizations and groups operating in and around Morris.
Since 2022, the Morris Area Foundation (MAF) has been awarding monies to improve initiatives offered in the community that benefit many.
“The board is very pleased to be able to support projects throughout the Town of Morris and entire RM of Morris,” said board chair Curtis Evenson.
Established in 2013, the foundation works to multiply monetary gifts, investing and growing the money to return the interest back into the community as financial grants.
“The MAF is only in the middle as the facilitator,” Evenson explained. “It is the generous donors past and present that provide the endowment funds which enable grants for projects forever.”
The 2024 grants awarded support initiatives ranging from a customized tricycle to school sports equipment, bereavement and palliative care training to infrastructure repair and replacement.
During the awards celebration, Morris School principal Mike Watson shared of the renovations and accessibility improvements that took place in the senior years’ kitchen upgrade over the summer, using a grant of $10,000 awarded from MAF over two years.
“We have an expanded serving space for our morning breakfast program,” he said. The upgrades boast a larger, smoother-flowing preparation space with a new refrigeration unit donated by Bigway Morris. A new oven is also on order.
Watson expressed his gratitude to the local contractors and businesses that supported the venture with additional funding and contracted time.
“The kitchen expansion upgrades have allowed the Gr. 11 leadership class to take food handler’s certificates to help with the breakfast and snack programs. This experience is a great resume padding opportunity for those interested in the food industry.”
Morris School is receiving an additional $1,500 this year toward the purchase of bleachers for the high school gym. A decision to build the bleachers in-house with support of staff and a team of four girls in the welding course allowed for creation of double the bleachers desired.
“The bleachers are a legacy item for us. They’ll be around forever,” said Watson.
Kaylee Schwark, executive director of the Morris Early Learning Centre, spoke briefly of the new child care facility in Morris.
“We are in our new location since November with renovations started at the Main Street location to incorporate school-aged children. We struggled losing a transformer in the fall but the staff are amazing in the work they do with the children.”
The centre was awarded a $2,500 grant towards their renovation costs, with a commitment of up to $5,000 over two years toward the project.
Other 2024 grant recipients include $1,750 toward outdoor tables for the Morris Manor, $5,000 toward accessibility playground equipment at the Morris School, $1,100 toward the purchase of a Dyson stick vacuum for the Red River Valley Food Bank, $5,000 toward the Valley Ag Society’s repair of two barn roofs, and $1,200 for a volleyball referee stand at the Rosenort School.
Morris Area Foundation is composed of a large board, with each individual providing various expertise.
“The MAF always gets more applications than can be supported,” said Evenson. “The board looks for what will make the greatest difference for folks in our area. You need a diverse background to consider that.”
If you’re interested in making a donation to the foundation or getting involved as a board member, visit www.themafinc.com for details.
