Giving back

GIRLS SHELTER

The Girls Shelter of Fort Smith is the recipient of a $5,000 Centennial Anniversary Grant from Zonta International, an organization dedicated to the empowerment of women and girls.

Zonta International is making Centennial Anniversary grants to celebrate its founding on Nov. 8, 1919. Internationally there were 289 applications for grants of up to $5,000. The Girls Shelter was one of just 62 to receive funding.

The Girls Shelter provides a safe place for girls 12-18 who, for a variety of reasons, cannot live with their families. Shelter staff works to offer the girls a structured, homelike atmosphere where they can learn personal responsibility and other positive character traits. One of the goals of the Girls Shelter is to work toward family reunification.

When the girls go out on their own or spend time with family, they must be drug tested when they return to the shelter. The Girls Shelter will use the grant money to pay for drug tests for the girls.

Chartered in 1967, the Zonta Club of Fort Smith offers more than $3,000 in local scholarships and awards annually, works with several local organizations that support the advancement of women and girls, and supports Zonta International’s service projects.

It raises money through the spring geranium sale and fall holiday greenery sale.

ART VENTURES

Art Ventures is the recipient of a $40,000 Walmart Foundation grant to support exhibitions and programming that began July 2019. This grant allows Art Ventures to create programming and exhibitions that uplift the quality of life in Northwest Arkansas by promoting visual art, artists, education, public engagement and by creating accessibility to these opportunities for underserved communities.

Among other efforts, this grant will support Art Ventures’ work to bring exhibitions and programming focusing on contemporary art in the Latinx diaspora, the cutting edge work of women artists using a variety of toolboxes, artists from the African American diaspora and to help children build confidence in their value as equal members of our society through art.

Sharon Killian, president of Art Ventures Board of Directors says, “We appreciate the support of the Walmart Foundation as we bring programming featuring diverse art and artists to a rapidly changing Northwest Arkansas community.”

DON TYSON SCHOOL OF INNOVATION

The Springdale Chamber is adding its support to the Don Tyson School of Innovation robotics team with a $10,000 contribution. The robotics team will be representing the United States at the international FIRST Global Challenge robotics competition in Dubai, United Arab Emirates, in October.

“These team members are remarkable ambassadors for our schools, our city and our state,” said Chamber President Perry Webb. “As our business community has helped these students in funding the costs associated with traveling to this event, it’s appropriate that the Chamber adds our voice of enthusiastic support. All of Springdale can be proud of the accomplishments of these students.”

The annual robotics Olympics-style competition brings together youth from around the world to share in their passion for STEM. Themed around the greatest challenges facing our planet, each year a different challenge takes center stage in an effort to foster understanding and cooperation among the youth of the world as they use their abilities to solve the world’s problems.

Root Negative One, team name for Springdale’s United States entry, will be competing against teams from more than 180 countries Oct. 24-27. Root Negative One won the U.S. championship in Houston and was one of only two global teams to win the organization’s prestigious Inspire Award.

“We’re used to Springdale teams winning championships,” added Webb. “We’re all pulling for a world championship from Root Negative One.”