Since 2014, (10 years) the South Dakota Prairie Rose Grant Fund has been providing financial support to 501(c)3 organizations in Garretson, Brandon, and Dell Rapids. Last Wednesday, the board gathered the 2024 recipients together at the Garretson Fire Hall to disburse those funds.
"The funding is provided by Prairie Rose Wind LLC, a subsidiary of Enel Green Power North America," said Prairie Rose Board President Steven Munk. Since transmission lines come across the townships of Highland, Logan, Brandon and Edison, the grant funds are a way to give back to the people in those areas. There is a total of $40,000 that is set aside each year to be given out to non-profits and scholarships for college-bound high school students in those townships.
However, thanks to the way the board was set up, it allows those organizations who provide services to the people in the four townships to apply as well, Munk pointed out. This is why, even though Garretson is not a part of those townships, organizations located in town can be a recipient of those funds. In the past, they have been a large supporter of Blue Dragon Academy, the Garretson Volunteer Fire Department, Grow Garretson in hand with the Parks Advisory Committee and the Garretson Commercial Club, B-Squad Dog Rescue, and more.
This year was no exception, with four local organizations and two Garretson High School students receiving a large portion of the funds.
The Garretson Volunteer Fire Department received $3000 toward the purchase of seven pairs of boots. Spencer Jorgenson, who not only volunteers for the department but is employed with Enel Energy, and John "J.D." Shape were on hand to receive the check and speak about their organization.
Said Shape, "NFPA standards require us to keep up equipment. It's usually every 10 years or once the boots are worn out, we have to replace those. Going through our list we have 26 department members, and seven of them are due for new boots this year. So that's going to be extremely helpful for us that way. Allow us to get those guys into current standard-met boots. That's one of the most important pieces of equipment during our entrance of buildings, construction, fires, and anything like that."
Then, the Garretson Childcare Association, which oversees Blue Dragon Academy, accepted grant funding in the amount of $12,000 to go toward commercial-grade playground equipment.
Blue Dragon Director Heidi Fink pointed out that much of their current equipment is not permanent or installed in the ground, and they are working toward upgrading it, starting with the toddler side. The grant will allow them to purchase one or two pieces of equipment and have it installed.
Next, Jerry Scholl, representing the Blue Dragon Foundation, accepted $10,000 in grant funds for the baseball field.
"For the last 25 years our scoreboard has been failing and during games we have to mend it," Scholl said. The new board and controller will come from Daktronics, and placement began mid-week last week with new I-beams placed into the ground.
The Palisade Healthcare organization received $1400 toward the purchase of an AED (Automatic External Defibrillator) machine.
The final Garretson recipients were GHS seniors Sage Solheim and Adair Hanisch, who each received $1000 scholarships to be applied their spring semester of their freshman year of college.
Other recipients were Brandon Valley Band Parents, Brandon Valley Hope Squad, Brandon Valley Fire Department, and Dell Rapids Fire Department.
“It is truly a pleasure for the Board to be able provide these funds to our communities for education, community enhancement and safety,” said Munk.
The South Dakota Prairie Rose Community Fund has been in existence since 2014 and has granted a total of $441,079 in community enhancement grants/scholarships. Funding is provided by Prairie Rose Wind LLC, owner of Prairie Rose Wind Farm, a subsidiary of Enel Green Power North America who has agreed to provide $40,000 per year for 20 years towards community grants and scholarships in the Townships of Highland, Logan, Brandon and Edison.
The Prairie Rose Board works diligently to disburse the grant funds and is comprised of Steve Howe, Angela Bly, Wayne Liester, Tom Elverson, Tom Brown, John Richard Weir, Dale Zweep, Mike Siemonsma and Steven Munk. More information can be found online at PrairieRoseSD.com.
