Youth Philanthropy Council awards $3,000 in grants

Youth Philanthropy Council awards $3,000 in grants

The Youth Philanthropy Council of Hutchinson Community Foundation awarded $3,000 in grants at a ceremony Sunday at the Hutchinson Art Center.

Led by 19 high school students from across Reno County, the Youth Philanthropy Council is a grant-making program designed to involve area students in philanthropy: the practice of giving money, time and talents to help make life better for other people. This year’s group began meeting in November 2018 to discuss local issues of concern to youth, learn about grant making and award grants to youth-serving organizations.

The grants are awarded from the Richard W. Dillon Memorial Fund, established by the Dillon family to honor Dick Dillon for his extensive philanthropic work in the community.

The following grants were given Sunday afternoon:

  • Buhler High School Senior Class, “Play Haven Memorial Park”: $350 to help with construction expenses at Play Haven Memorial Park.
  • Prairie Independent Living Resource Center (PILR), “Employment for All”: $575 to help fund events focused on disability awareness.
  • Trinity Catholic High School Key Club, “Key Club Giving Back to the Community”: $375 to help fund community-service projects.
  • Ubuntu Inc., “ART ON! Everyone Create.”: $650 to help fund an art and design workshop for middle and high school students.
  • USD 310-Fairfield, “Spotlight on Fairfield Talent”: $500 to help fund the addition of new theater spotlights in the school’s auditorium.
  • USD 311-Pretty Prairie, “Bulldog Buddies”: $250 to help fund the high school’s student-mentoring program to grade school and middle school students.
  •  Wiley Elementary School, “Book Talks”: $300 to help fund a youth-mentoring program focused on reading.

Members of the 2018-2019 council are Trenton Hopkins, Alyvia Owens and Mary Waln, Buhler High School; Cory Embers, Eli Pisano and Dazia Simms, Central Christian School; Kayley Brown and Dusti Ryan, Fairfield High School; Abigail Nisly, Payton Paramore and Dylan Yoder, Haven High School; Vaughn Mahoney, Home School Association; Allison Link and Megan Pankratz, Hutchinson High School; Alex Altum, Nickerson High School; Tristan England and Keelan Stucky, Pretty Prairie High School; and Daniel Mailloux and Emma Vogel, Trinity Catholic High School.