More than $100,000 in grants delivered

The Waseca Area Foundation/EF Johnson Foundation held their annual grant awards program at the Central Building in Waseca on Wednesday afternoon, Nov. 9, 2022.

What started as a “$6,000’ pipe dream in the 80s, beginning with their first grant of $600, has now allowed the organization to donate more than $12.5 million–more than $300,000 of that in 2021 alone. 

“As you drive around town, you see things that make a difference in the community for people of all ages,” former WAF chair David Oraskavitch said as the program began. “We make a difference in Waseca, New Richland, Janesville, and all of Waseca County. People continue to support us year after year; we wouldn’t be able to do this without them. Thank you to everyone here and for the continued generosity of those who live in this community, who continue to support these programs.” 

A long list of grant awards was given out. Each and every recipient present briefly explained their organization and provided the reason and story behind their grant application. Their stories follow, in order: Royal Villa, New Richland, $1,600 for a raised garden; Lutheran Social Services, $2,000 for foster family programming; Waseca Neighborhood Service Center, $3,000 for food shelf purchases; Life Work Planning Center, $2,200 for workshops/training for women in transition services; Big Brothers Big Sisters, $7,500 for mentoring support programs; Waseca County Historical Society, $2294 for display bases; Waseca Area Caregivers, $3,667 for caring hands program support; Waseca Arts Council, $4,000 for a ceramics studio; Waseca Public Library, 3 grants totalling $8,000 for the summer concert series, for teen events, and the annual water carnival; Junior Achievement, $3,000 for Waseca Schools Programming; Waseca County 4-H, $2,500 for programming enhancement; Farmamerica, $3,000 for Ag Career Exploration; SW Metro Transition Program, $400 for small business project; Waseca Community Education received two grants, $3,000 for Summer Youth Theatre, and $10,000 for youth development grant scholarships; NRHEG High School received a grant for $1,000 to purchase novels for the special education English department, taught by Melissa Dunn; On behalf of NRHEG’s Distributive Education Club of America, Lisa Weegman accepted a grant for the DECA club in the amount of $500; NRHEG Community Education received $750 for youth development grant scholarships; JWP Secondary School received a $1,000 grant for a new 3D printing class; JWP Community Education received a grant for $3,000 for youth and development scholarships and preschool program support; Infants Remembered in Silence received a grant for $5,000; The Waseca Arts Council received a grant for $4005 for the creation of a ceramic arts studio.

It was the intent of the EF Johnson family to provide scholarships for local schools, with the majority going to Waseca. A total of $20,000 was awarded to Waseca High School seniors; $3,000 for JWP seniors, $3,000 for NRHEG seniors; and $10,000 for “non-traditional scholarships'' awarded to Riverland (Austin), and South Central College (Mankato and Faribault). 

Former WAF chair David Oraskavitch concluded the program saying: “When you leave here today I hope someone says to you, “‘What is Caregivers? What is Farmamerica doing?’ Tell people what you remember about these different groups, organizations, and people. Please continue to apply for our grants. When you hear someone say “I wish I could only..” tell them about the Waseca Area Foundation. People don’t know what they don’t know. A lot of people didn’t know their dreams could come through by applying for a grant.” 

More than 25 non profit organizations benefited from this week’s awards banquet, with more than $100,000 given to benefit Waseca area citizens. Monday evening the Janesville Area Foundation granted $12,000. “Keep doing what you’re doing,” Amy Potter added. 

Looking forward, the spring grant application deadline for New Richland and Waseca will be March 31, 2023.