Members of the PBPN Charitable Contributions Committee stand beside two award recipients, Constance Fox, representing Coats for Kids and Jennifer Ingels, representing JCMA Christmas Bureau. Both organizations assist those in the Jackson County, Kansas area.
10.11.18 – The Prairie Band Potawatomi Nation, through its Charitable Contributions Committee distributed $75,550 to 18 local programs and organizations in the Northeast Kansas community. Individual distributions ranged from $1,000 to $15,000 awards.
Each quarter the Prairie Band Potawatomi Nation distributes funding awards to various organizations and events promoting community stewardship and long-term sustainability of resources for Kansans.
Sole Reason received an award today which goes toward their service of providing shoes to children in need. Last year they served 1,600 kids in the Topeka area. This year, beyond providing sneakers, they are also sponsoring Nathan Harman, a nationally recognized motivational speaker. He will speak with Topeka area youth on November 18, 2018, at Hayden High School Gym. For more information on Sole Reason, visit them on the web at www.solereason.net.
Gerald Hudgins, founder of Sole Reason shakes hands with the PBPN CCC.
Another recipient today was Junior Achievement of Kansas. They reach an audience of 28,000 children and provide “young people the knowledge and skills they need to own their economic success, plan for their future, and make smart academic and economic choices.” Junior Achievement of Kansas trains and places volunteers from local businesses in the classroom, providing relevant, hands-on experiences that give students knowledge and skills in financial literacy, work readiness and entrepreneurship.
Mandy Gosney, Special Events & Administration Manager for Junior Achievement of Kansas, spoke to attendees about their work in the community.
Deborah Dawkin, representative of the East Topeka Council on Aging thanked the Prairie Band Potawatomi for the contribution. The agency provides transportation to and from appointments for the elderly and disabled in the Shawnee County area, a small act that has a large impact on the health of Kansas citizens.
Deborah Dawkin, East Topeka Council on Aging thanks the Prairie Band Potawatomi for their contribution.
Awards were delivered to two local school districts, the Royal Valley School District and the Rossville Grade School. On hand to receive the awards were RV USD 337 Superintendent Aaric Davis and Rossville School’s Teacher, Travis Van Vleck.
USD 337 Superintendent Aaric Davis shakes hands with the CCC. The award will go toward programs at the Royal Valley School system including funding toward the Native American Dancers.
Travis Van Vleck representing the Rossville Grade School, which has a 12 percent Native population. Their award is being used to fund a S.T.E.M. lab.
Also receiving an award today was the We-Ta-Se American Legion Post 410. The We-Ta-Se travel to several events throughout the year and the award helps to fund those activities. The group provides service of posting of colors at events and funerals. They will post colors in Topeka, Kansas at a Topeka Pilots hockey game in the near future and will travel to Los Angeles, California in November.
Chuck Jacobson, We-Ta-Se Financial Officer, and Commander Jim Potts stand alongside PBPN Chairman and fellow We-Ta-Se member Joseph “Zeke” Rupnick at the ceremony.
The full list of award recipients includes:
Casa of Shawnee County
Coats for Kids
Community Health Care System
Doorstep, Inc.
East Topeka Council on Aging
GraceMed Health Clinic
Housing and Credit Counseling, Inc.
JCMA Christmas Bureau
Junior Achievement of Kansas
KVC Health Care System
Midland Care Connections
Rossville Grade School
Royal Valley Schools
SLI
Sole Reason
TARC
Topeka Civic Theatre
We-Ta-Se American Legion
The quarterly awards ceremony was held at the Prairie Band Casino & Resort, on the PBPN Common Land.