Greater Des Moines Soapbox Derby receives $8,000 grant from Prairie Meadows
DES MOINES, Iowa - The Greater Des Moines Central Iowa Soapbox Derby Association has received an $8,000 grant from Prairie Meadows Racetrack and Casino through its 2006 Community Betterment Grant Program. Grants were awarded in late December with the Greater Des Moines Soapbox Derby Association receiving their allocated funds in March 2007.
Grant funds will help provide the needed updates to the Des Moines Derby Track which is located in Ewing Park on the South-side of Des Moines, Iowa. The Des Moines Soapbox Derby Landmark was constructed in 1970, which was a community effort at the time and is still one of the finest Soapbox Derby Tracks in the Mid-West Region today.
Prairie Meadows 17-member Grants Advisory Committee, comprised of education, religious and business leaders from the greater metro area, review all grant requests and recommends funding levels. This year, over 300 organizations applied for grants, and over 150 organizations shared in the funding allocations.
"We are extremely pleased to have received this funding from Prairie Meadows this year, said Scott Miller, (2007 President) of The Greater Des Moines Soapbox Derby Association. "These monies will help ensure our organization to continue, providing a Premier Racing Facility, which is safe and fun for the participating youth of our community and Central Iowa.
Prairie Meadows Community Betterment Grants are allocated into four categories: arts & culture, economic development, education, and human services.
Since 1995 Prairie Meadows has contributed more than $330 million to promote education, economic development, agriculture, jobs and tourism in Iowa.
Visit the Prairie Meadows Web site at: http://www.prairiemeadows.com