In celebration of 60 years of philanthropy, the Community Foundation of Warren County is awarding a special $10,000 grant and giving the public a say in who gets it.
According to the foundation's executive director Dr. Charles MacKenzie, the Community Foundation of Warren County got the idea from the website of another community foundation in western Pennsylvania.
"It was just something different," he said.
The foundation received 22 applications for the grant. A team of three people narrowed the field down to 10. From there, the top 10 were posted on the foundation's website for public vote.
MacKenzie admitted that having the vote online was daunting because anyone in the world could log on and vote.
"We had no way of shutting that off," he said.
As of Thursday, 16,052 votes had been cast.
"It has generated a tremendous amount of interest across the county," MacKenzie said.
Voting will end at midnight on October 2. The winner will be announced at the Community Foundation's anniversary reception on October 6.
The following groups and projects are in the running for the special grant:
Caring for Life's Buddy Program. Caring for Life intends to use the funds to help expand financial and emotional support to Warren County families who have a seriously ill child between birth and 18 years of age.
CASA's (Court-Appointed Special Advocates) volunteer sponsorship program. The fund would sponsor six volunteers in CASA training. CASA volunteers are appointed by judges to watch over and advocate for abused and neglected children The volunteers guide each child through the court process and ensure that every agency involved meets the full range of the child's needs.
Walkable Warren by Experience Inc. The project aims to identify multi-modal sustainable streets and corridors to network residents of the community to community assets and services.
Child and Family Counseling at Family Services of Warren County. Family Services intends to use the funds to aid in providing solution-based counseling, substance abuse services and a variety of support groups at low-cost or no-cost for the working poor with limited resources.
Pennsylvania Kinzua Pathways' PKP Online. Organizers of the Pennsylvania Kinzua Pathways plan, which is a set of projects focused around enhancing the Allegheny Reservoir area, intend to use the funds to design, develop, implement and maintain a website that will serve as a hub for marketing the plan.
Phase I of the Brokenstraw Hike/Bike Trail led by the Revitalization of Youngsville (ROY). The first phase of the trail will begin at Island Park and wind through Youngsville, ending at the Route 6 overpass. The trail will include Braille maps and touch gardens.
Warren County Conservation District's Hatch Run Conservation Education Center. The fund would be used to assist in the completion of the building which is 70 percent finished.
Warren County Read to Ride. The Warren County School District, Warren Times Observer and other community partners propose the establishment of a summer reading program which will be a contest for students ages 6-14 who could win a bicycle at the end of the summer. Each book read will increase the student's chances of winning.
Green Environment by the Warren County YMCA. The YMCA intends to use the funds to implement green and environmentally-friendly practices at the facility.
Facility Refurbishment at the Warren Senior Center. The center intends to use the funds to refurbish floors, install security lighting, replace interior light fixtures and other upgrade projects.
To cast a vote for one of the ten projects, visit www.communityfoundationofwarrencounty.org/vote.
