Grant pushes Greenway Community Fund over $1 million

MARBLE — A community fund serving the Greenway area now totals over $1 million.

The Blandin Foundation announced Wednesday, Oct. 21, it would supply a grant of $250,000 to the Greenway Community Fund, which provides money for community projects and resources.

Kim Venema is the fund's leader and Lawrence Lake Township representative. She said the community's need for more funding has been high, with a request total of $73,000 from applicants in last year's grant cycle.

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Blandin Foundation

"We were only able to give $24,000 of that," she said. "So just imagine what this will mean in the future for us."

Venema said some of her favorite grant recipients have benefited Greenway area youths, including an animal encounter program at Trout Lake Day.

The fund has also contributed to local fire departments, providing funding for wildland fire and water rescue gear for the Taconite Fire Department and thermal cameras and a "Sparky" mascot costume for Greenway Fire and Rescue.

"It's been awesome," said Spencer Hernesman with Greenway Fire and Rescue. "Very, very appreciated."

The Greenway area covers a stretch of the western Iron Range from LaPrairie to Pengilly, including 10 small cities and townships. In recent years, industry has stalled in the region, leading to a strain on businesses and local resources.

Nancilyn Meyer is the chair of Beautiful Bovey, a local community revitalization group. She is also running for reelection to the City Council.

"I think that our towns became kind of depressed when a lot of the businesses left ... and everything moved over to Grand Rapids," she said. "Where does that leave us?"

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Meyer said the Greenway area lacks the grant-writing resources of larger communities like Grand Rapids or Hibbing. Because of this, the community fund becomes essential.

"Over here, it is everyday people seeing things that they think they can do that are going to benefit their community," Meyer said.

The community pride the Greenway fund provides is twofold, she said. On one hand, the fund encourages cooperation and planning among the area towns.

On the other hand, it keeps alive things like events and local resources that help each town retain their own identities.

"So each town, we work together ... but I think the pride that we have in each one of our towns individually is what makes us work for these projects," she said.

Meyer also pointed out that a successful community fund can snowball.

"Grant money leads to more grant money," she said. "It's not just little projects that we're doing. I think it's creating a future of success also."

At the announcement, Blandin Foundation Grants Director Kyle Erickson noted the fund's track record as part of the foundation’s rationale for the $250,000 gift.

"It's a wonderful experience for our board of trustees to go through several communities in the Greenway area and see the great work that's taking place, and the evidence of progress, and the growth that we're seeing," he said.

The Greenway Community Fund has distributed over $100,000 since its creation in 2017, according to the foundation. Its next grant cycle opens for applications March 1.

 The Blandin Foundation is a financial supporter of KAXE News but does not influence the newsroom’s editorial process.