Chilkat Valley News - Serving Haines and Klukwan, Alaska since 1966

The Chilkat Valley Community Foundation awarded $27,685 in grants to 19 community organizations at a ceremony held Thursday at the American Legion Hall.

Klukwan School, Haines Little League and the Alaska Avalanche Information Center were among the grantees this year. The school received $3,000 that will help replace playground equipment. The avalanche center received $2,000 to upgrade equipment and conduct training and outreach. Haines Little League will use its $900 award to rehabilitate the ball field.

Klukwan School teacher Jennifer Marschke told the CVN that the school's students have been fundraising for new equipment for more than a year, formed a playground committee, and incorporated designing the new playground into their math classes. Marschke said the Chatham School District and the Village of Klukwan contributed matching grant funds after the community foundation awarded them the grant.

"The kids have been really involved," Marschke said. "It's really cool to see the foundation grant us some funds, and see everything else tumble into place. The kids can feel really successful for everything they've accomplished."

At the ceremony, foundation program manager Sara Chapell detailed the organization's endowment and asked prior awardees to speak. Since 2009, the foundation has granted more than $164,000 from its endowment.

Haines Friends of Recycling received $3,500 for general operating expenses this year.

The recycling non-profit was a recipient last year also, and used its funds to conduct zero-waste recycling during events such as the Southeast Alaska State Fair where the group collected 120 bags of compost and only 200 pounds of garbage after a four-day event that around 14,000 people attended.

"The community foundation provides us a way to think forward and to think about the future and leave some money for future generations for future efforts and to keep this place the wonderful spot that it is," Friends of Recycling board chair Melissa Aronson said.

Beginning in 2017, the Alaska Community Foundation and the Rasmuson Foundation initiated a dollar-to-dollar match program. "This is a very exciting chance for us in the Chilkat Valley, to build our local funds and support important projects like the ones you're hearing about tonight," Chapell said. "We are just really inspired and very, very thankful for that outpouring of generosity in the community."

In less than two years, more than $130,000 has been raised toward the matching grant, Chapell said.

First-time grantees were Haines Little League, Klukwan School, Geppetto's Junkyard Puppet Troupe ($980), Haines Marching Band ($1,000) and the Haines Economic Development Corporation ($875).

Other grantees include the Alaska Arts Confluence ($1,500), American Bald Eagle Foundation ($860), Chilkat Valley Preschool ($2,000), Girl Scouts of Alaska ($500), Haines Dolphins Swim Team ($2,000), Haines Friends of Recycling ($3,500), Haines Senior Village ($697), Hospice of Haines ($1,473), Lynn Canal Conservation ($500), Rural Alaska Community Action Program ($500), Southeast Alaska Independent Living ($1,500), Takshanuk Watershed Council ($900) and The Salvation Army Alaska Haines Corp ($3,000).

Donors can contribute to specific funds including an environmental, fitness and wellness and a memorial fund.

On Nov. 27, Mountain Market will match total beverage sales with a donation to CVCF's permanent charitable fund.