A million dollars in grants funded by the Diamond Jo Casino are being disbursed to charities in Iowa and southern Minnesota.
Groups in Albert Lea will receive a total of $20,000. The majority of the money is going to the Albert Lea Family YMCA.
Executive Director Dennis Dieser said the Family YMCA applied for and was denied a grant from the WCDA three times in the past. Now they've hit the jackpot , Dieser said. "We're just really excited for this grant," he added.
Handicapped Accessible
Dieser said the money will help make the Family YMCA more accessible for people who have difficulty walking up stairs. Right now, the only way to get from the parking lot to the building is taking the stairs. Now they have the monies to build a ramp for people with disabilities. "With the ramp it's going to make it really easy for them to get in, whether they're in a wheelchair or on crutches," said Dieser.Kim Miller, executive director of the WCDA said she's excited to help out the Albert Lea Family YMCA. She believes it's important to offer grants in Minnesota, since they’re part of the reason the casino have money to give back. "A lot of the patrons are from Minnesota coming," said Miller.
Dieser said Minnesotans spend a lot of money at the Diamond Jo Casino, and happy to see some of it comes back to the community in this form.
"This was a good means for us to collaborate and bring in some dollars to help complete this project," said Dieser. "We feel this is a good step in the process for continuing that and ensuring nobody is left out of any of the programs or activities we have."
Dieser said he's already making plans to start construction. He hopes the new wheelchair ramp will be finished by June.
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