NEW BUFFALO – The Pokagon Fund provided grant funding in the amount of $357,300 in May, representing 15 projects.

Harbor Country
Hike/Bike Trail

In 2008, The Pokagon Fund provided $48,900 in project funding for the Harbor Country Hike and Bike Trail Master Plan.
The Hike and Bike Trail will be a network of sidewalks, bikeways, bike lanes, and shared use paths that will link neighboring communities, business districts, schools and parks throughout Harbor Country.
• $100,900 was awarded to Friends of Harbor Country Trails for the Hike and Bike Trail Project on Wilson Road.
“Wilson Road is scheduled to be paved in June 2010, The Friends of Harbor Country Trails, the organization that oversees the Hike and Bike Trail’s creation, had the foresight to ask the county to pave a wider shoulder on Wilson Road for a 2.8 mile leg of the proposed Hike and Bike Trail,” explained Mary Dunbar, executive director of the Pokagon Fund.
“We are excited to see this project come together piece by piece. It may take years to connect all the trails, but progress is being made. It is rewarding to our board members and our staff to be part of an organization that will leave this legacy to the community for years to come.”
Signage for the trail will also be developed with funding from this grant.
• $14,783 to Chikaming Township for the Hike and Bike Trail Project on Flynn Road. Chikaming Township, being mindful of the Master Plan for the Hike and Bike Trail project, will pave an additional three-foot shoulder for the bike trail when repaving Flynn Road.
Flynn Road, between Warren Woods and Elm Valley Roads in Berrien County, is part of the proposed Hike and Bike Trail.
In the Fall of 2009, Chikaming Township paved the first leg of the new bike trail on Townline Road. That project was also funded by The Pokagon Fund.
• $80,541 to New Buffalo Area Schools for the Summer Enrichment Project.
For the third year in a row, The Pokagon Fund will be funding the Summer Enrichment program at the New Buffalo Area Schools.
In addition to traditional summer school for children grades 2 through 12, enrichment programs will be offered.
Classes will be offered in creative writing, music, theater, fitness classes, athletic training, tennis, Project WILD (a hands-on science program) and a nuclear physics program offered to high school students.
• $30,194 to New Buffalo Township for Memorial Park. Funds will be used to purchase benches, picnic tables, garbage and recycling receptacles for the newly renovated Memorial Park.
• $25,000 to Galien Township Schools for their Adult Education Project. Galien Schools offer adult education classes for students to complete their high school diploma or GED. Approximately 40 percent of their students are from The Pokagon Fund service area of New Buffalo, Chikaming and Three Oaks Townships.
• $20,596 to New Buffalo Area Schools for portable bleachers. As the wooden bleachers at the baseball fields have fallen into disrepair, they will be replaced with four sets of portable bleachers that can be moved to various fields and venues for sporting events.
and will also be made available for community events.
• $17,605 to Chikaming Township to fund the recycling station. This project will allow residents of Chikaming to recycle using the container located at Chikaming Township Hall.
• $15,000 to Harbor Arts for Opera at the Acorn. Opera at the Acorn will host five performances from June through December 2010 at the historic Acorn Theatre in Three Oaks. For information on this year’s schedule and to purchase tickets, go to www.acorntheater.com.
• $15,000 to Radio Harbor Country for the Wavelength Music and Arts Festival.
This event, scheduled for July 31, will be held in Dewey Cannon Park in Three Oaks.
The festival will highlight regional bands from various genres, street performers, art activities, and vendors – providing entertainment for people of all ages. For more information, go to www.radioharborcountry.org.
• $13,031 to Help for Southwest Michigan for the Advocacy Center Start Up.
Help for Southwest Michigan is a newly formed organization whose mission is to help community residents utilize agencies and resources to gain self sufficiency.
Funding will underwrite the printing of a resource guide for southwest Michigan, purchase a computer and develop a Web site.
• $10,000 to Berrien County Cancer Services for Nursing Care. Berrien County Cancer Services provides nursing care for cancer patients both in home and on the job site. Grant funding will support nurse visits for cancer patients in The Pokagon Fund service area.
• $6,650 to New Buffalo Fine Arts Council for its 2010-2011 Season. The New Buffalo Fine Arts Council will host six events from September 2010 through April 2011.
Funding will pay for performers’ fees and children’s programming. To learn more about the events planned, visit the Web site at: www.nbfac.org.
• $5,000 to Animal Lovers Inc. for its spay/neuter program. Animal Lovers assists low-income households by providing spay and neuter services for cats and dogs.
Since beginning their work in 2004, they have spayed and neutered more than 5,000 cats and dogs. Funding will defray expenses for spaying and neutering cats and dogs in The Pokagon Fund service area.
• $2,500 to Betty’s Buddies for their Warm Hearts Equal Warm Heads Project.
Betty’s Buddies are a group of women who make knit hats for cancer patients who have lost their hair to chemotherapy.
They deliver the hats to local hospitals and oncology clinics.
This group from Three Oaks came together to honor Betty Grosse, who lost her battle with cancer.
• $500 to the Berrien County Shrine Club to support the 2011 Shrine Circus.
Funding pays for transportation for handicapped children to attend the Shrine Circus in March 2011.