MANISTIQUE — The Schoolcraft County Community Foundation Board of Directors approved eight mini grants totaling $7,817 in its spring grant round on May 1. The board also awarded the annual Prine, Villemure and Hughes Scholarships.

The foundation’s Youth Advisory Council (YAC) recommended approval of a $1,000 request from the Manistique Area Schools Robotics Team to help pay for registration fees. YAC also recommended approval to purchase 15 pairs of shoes for the Manistique Middle and High School Band Program at a cost of $638. Funding for both recommendations came from the Kellogg Fund. The foundation board approved both recommendations.

The SCCF board also approved grants of $1,651 from the Unrestricted Fund to Schoolcraft Memorial Hospital to purchase an Infusion Call Monitor Light System; $800 from the Arts and Culture Fund to Manistique Area Schools Art Class to purchase a Shimpo Slab Roller, which will diversify the hand building equipment to ceramics students; $719 from the Library Fund to help pay for a performer for the School and Public Library’s Summer Reading Program; $500 from the Historical Society Fund to the Schoolcraft County Historical Society to purchase new modular display panels to help display photographs and other material; $300 from the Arts and Culture Fund to the Manistique Ministerial Association to purchase music and other supplies for the Ecumenical Bell Choir; and $2,209 from the Humane Society Fund to the Eva Burrell Animal Shelter to help fund its spay and neuter program.

The $2,000 Prine Scholarship was awarded to Macy Green of Thompson. She is a member of YAC, and she will be studying information systems at Central Michigan University. That award is split, with $1,000 given in the first semester and the other $1,000 given in the second semester if the student shows a class schedule and maintains a 3.5 GPA.

The $500 Matthew Villemure Scholarship was awarded to Trevor Hase of Manistique who will be studying welding at Bay de Noc Community College.

The $500 Hughes Memorial Scholarship was awarded to Austin Mischel of McMillan who will be studying engineering at either Michigan Tech or the University of Michigan.

In addition to 16 designated, or “donor advised,” funds, the community foundation may provide mini-grants from an unrestricted fund. The community foundation awards grants twice a year, in May and November. Deadlines for applications are March 31 and September 30 of each year. Applicants are asked to use the SCCF application form, which can be downloaded from our Facebook page or picked up at the Pioneer Tribune office.

Over the years, the foundation has given more than $214,817 to local organizations and individuals in grants and scholarships.

For more information on contributing to the Schoolcraft County Community Foundation or applying for a mini-grant, write to the foundation at P.O. Box 452, Manistique, MI 49854 or e-mail at sccommunityfoundation@gmail.com.