West-central Iowa’s ‘Field of Dreams’

Casino-funded donations to Greene, area counties, a $9 million jackpot for public-minded projects

By DOUGLAS BURNS
d.burns@carrollspaper.com

Dyersville isn’t the only city on the dreamers’ batting lineup in Iowa.

Greene County is making things happen — and that assessment is coming from more than local development leaders. The county’s grateful neighbors applauded the vision of the county last week as representatives from the region, elected officials and volunteers with a host of charitable efforts, paraded to the stage at the Grow Greene County Gaming Corporation annual non-profit awards banquet at Wild Rose Casino and Resort in Jefferson.
Recipients collected checks for hundreds of thousands of dollars to fund dozens of public-minded projects from Boone to Bayard and Lake City to Adel.

“I think this is more a ‘Field of Dreams’ than the one in Dyersville,” Randy Kuhlman, CEO of the Fort Dodge Community Foundation, said of Jefferson’s Wild Rose as his organization received an award of $53,700.
That Fort Dodge money will be used for, among other things, further development of a popular mountain-biking system in Webster County.

The other counties bordering Greene also received $53,700 each. They include Boone, Calhoun, Carroll, Dallas and Guthrie counties.

“Everybody in here should think big because we are,” said Kenny Snyder, a Carroll County leader in conservation and economic development.

Carroll’s library and Swan Lake State Park came out big winners with the casino donations in recent years.
The casino, which General Manager Travis Dvorak says is recording record-profit months, donated $1.94 million through Grow Greene County, the non profit tied to the casino, in the 2022 grant cycle. The board doled out the funds in 1 hour and 23 minutes on the way toward a seven-year total of $9 million in contributions to local and regional projects and services.

“I think tonight we have demonstrated a lot of support and enthusiasm,” said Norm Fandel, president of Grow Greene.
(See chart for the full picture of donations.)

One of the primary recipients, again, is the Greene County School District as the high school’s auditorium and gymnasium are part of a staged multi-year donation of $4.5 million.
Here is where much of the contributions in 2022 are going:

— The Greene County Youth Activities Association received $200,000 for electrical and safety upgrades
— $144,000 went to the Jefferson Fire Department for tractor trailer/water tanker funding.
— The Greene County Early Learning Center is in year two of a four-year donation of $500,000.
— A three-year commitment of $201,000 will boost the animal shelter in Greene County.
— The City of Jefferson will use $50,000 to digitize records at the cemetery, making access to information available near and far.

“I think it will be a real positive for the community,” said City Administrator Mike Palmer.

— Dana will use $2,375 go fix street signs and get a new plow for the city truck.
— Churdan will use $22,812 to repair city buildings.
— Grand Junction’s disbursement of $45,313 will fund a new printer and go heavily toward roads.
— Scranton will use $31,939 for improving homes and other work.
— Rippey has $13,750 for a handicapped-accessible swing set and other items for a kids’ park.
— Paton will direct $13,813 to pay off a pick-up truck.
— In Calhoun County, the baseball field at Manson will get new dugouts.
— Carroll County will make improvements to the Sauk Rail Trail
— Boone County will pave public areas and add features to the train at the entrance to the city along U.S. 30.
— The Grand Junction Fire Department will be able to use $45,000 to purchase new personal protective equipment.
— The Paton Churdan School District received $30,000.

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