The Community Foundation of Clinton County awarded $30,000 in scholarships and grants Thursday evening during a community celebration held at Prairie Creek Park in Frankfort, in partnership with the City of Frankfort.
The event featured live music, nonprofit booths, food trucks, and community activities, culminating in a series of live drawings for three $5,000 scholarships and three $5,000 grants.
Organizers said the special one-night program was designed to create a broad community impact outside of the foundation’s regular funding cycles. “We’re going to give away $30,000 in grants and scholarships on Thursday,” said Emily Hemersbach, a foundation representative. “These are all outside of our normal cycles… special drawings that night.”
The scholarships were open to a variety of applicants, including traditional students, adult learners, and individuals pursuing trade education. Applicants submitted materials in May and were required to check in at the event to be eligible for the random drawing.
Scholarship Recipients
The three scholarship recipients announced at the event were:
- Haley Smart
- Michael Watson
- Jade Carbajal
Grant Recipients
The three organizations selected for grant funding were:
- Wesley Manor
- Abilities Services, Inc. (ASI)
- Clinton County Extension Homemakers
Foundation representatives said the goal of the program was to make a meaningful impact through both educational support and community investment. “Our board really worked hard to think about what would be impactful,” Hemersbach said. “We wanted these to be impactful scholarships and impactful grants.”
WILO Radio also broadcast live from the event, with winners announced shortly after the drawings took place.
