BEK Awards Grant to Small-Town Senior Center to Make Emergency Repairs
“This grant means more to our community than anyone could imagine,” says Beryl Hood, President of Linton Senior Citizens Club. “We’re barely staying open right now, so this is a huge gift for us.”
In 2010, Linton Senior Citizens Club moved into its current location on South Broadway Street in Linton. It provides a variety of services to senior residents in Emmons County, including weekly meals, social activities, and fundraising events.
“Our building also is home to KESS, which stands for Kidder Emmons Senior Services,” says Hood. KESS is a program that delivers about 40 meals daily to seniors throughout the two counties, most in the Linton area. “This gift from BEK ensures that we’ll be able to continue delivering meals to those in need.”
The BEK Board of Directors developed the Community Partnership Program to help meet the current and future needs of BEK-served communities. “As a cooperative, BEK Communications believes that we’re only as strong as our communities are,” says BEK District III Director Kevin Bernhardt. “We recognize a tremendous need in Linton and are proud to be able to play a part in helping to keep the senior center functioning.”
Community is the heart of the mission of BEK Communications Cooperative. Each year through the BEK Community Partnership Program, grants are awarded to various nonprofit community organizations and groups in the BEK serving area. The cooperative also takes an active role in community outreach and economic development projects, sponsors community events, awards scholarships to college-bound students, and delivers free services to local government.
Hood says the center needs a whole new roof and that it’s currently having small fundraisers throughout the week to help raise money for the project. He says it also is looking for volunteers to help run daily activities. If you would like to help in any way, contact Beryl Hood or Duane Baer by calling (701) 254-5536.
