The Starved Rock Country Community Foundation awarded $194,800 in grants on Monday, Sept. 15, to eight local nonprofits, ranging from a historic summer camp to a new arts center.

The event, held downtown in Utica, featured former 76th District State Rep. Lance Yednock, his successor Murri Briel, and leaders from the recipient organizations.

The grants were part of the foundation’s 10th anniversary celebration, “Gratitude Abounds,” made possible by an appropriation Yednock secured during the close of the 2024 legislative session.

“Lance, as tonight’s theme attests, ‘gratitude abounds’ for your generosity and belief in the Starved Rock Country Community Foundation,” SRCCF President Fran Brolley said.

Grant recipients and awards included:

• Camp Tuckabatchee, Ottawa, $40,800 for roofing and wiring upgrades to its main lodge.
• Illinois Valley Food Pantry, La Salle, $40,000 to help purchase a new home on Progress Boulevard in Peru.
• Arukah Institute of Healing, Ottawa, $35,000 to open a new facility at the former La Salle County Farm Bureau building.
• Voluntary Action Center’s Meals on Wheels senior nutrition site, Peru, $34,000 for a freezer and refrigerator.
• Ottawa Center for the Arts, $15,000 for an elevator upgrade.
• Second Story Teen Center, Princeton, $10,000 to support its recent move to a new location.
• La Salle County CASA, $10,000 for volunteer training.
• Ottawa Children’s Exploreum, $10,000 as it seeks a downtown site.

Leaders from each nonprofit thanked Yednock and the foundation for the support.

Camp Tuckabatchee board president Adrienne Pike said the grant has significantly improved safety for our facilities, campers and guests.

SRCCF founder Pamela Beckett closed the event by praising the dedication of the nonprofits.

“We didn’t just award grants – we invested in hope, in action, and in the belief that change begins at the community level,” she said.

To support the foundation’s “Decade of Giving” campaign, visit https://srccf.org/anniversary-appeal.