Eagles park grants awarded to 4 projects
Four organizations will share more than $12,000 in grant funds, thanks to the Wapakoneta Eagles.
Funds were distributed by the Wapakoneta Area Community Foundation, which has been responsible for the Wapakoneta FEO Aerie 691 Community Park Fund since it was established. From then until now the Eagles program has granted $236,560 to improve local community parks.
“It was in 1996 when the Eagles chose the foundation as the vehicle to start the community park grant program,” foundation Executive
Director Greg Myers said Wednesday during the presentation, adding the program was set up in perpetuity, “which I think means forever.”
The Village of Cridersville, represented by service director Jarid Kohlreiser, accepted $4,000 to help rehabilitate a crushed stone walking path in Delong Pioneer Nature Park on Reichelderfer Road. The total cost of the project was $9,000.
Upgrades to the shelter house and a new flag pole in Uniopolis Veterans Park were funded at $4,000, half
of the program’s total cost. Ashley Moyler and Lindsie Vaughn accepted the grant Wednesday.
Wapakoneta City School were granted $2,500 to help finish the fence work on the east side of the
high school football field. That total project has a $21,688 price tag.
Superintendent Aaron Rex and
Mike Watt, director of operations, were on hand to accept the grant.
Four new trees will be planted in Buckland Village Park with help from the grant funds. Jessica Wegesin accepted the $1,790 grant toward the $2,190 total cost of the planting program.
The committee to distribute grant funds includes Ken Kohlreiser, an Eagles member who has been with
the program since it began, and Rex Katterheinrich, Alan Davis and Denny Kemper.
“We hope the foundation can continue to represent the Eagles parks fund,” Myers said, noting the
documentation indicates the fund will survive forever to benefit local parks.
“That’s how it was set up,” Kohlreiser said. “We set it up to last.”