The Green Bay Packers have been giving fans wins on the field this year, but off the field, the Green Bay Packers Foundation have also been busy with the awarding grants to 398 civic and charitable groups throughout the state of Wisconsin.
And like the Depot Exchange Thrift Store and Food Pantry last year, another Fennimore institution was a recipients of a part of the $1.5 million tin total grants the Green Bay Packers Foundation awarded this year.
Fennimore Community Schools was awarded a $3,500 grant to used to purchase some of the cardio equipment for the new fitness center being constructed on the north side of the high school as part of the school district’s building remodeling/updating construction project.
According to Fennimore High School Principal Boone Tollefson, the funds will be focused on treadmills, bikes, and ellipticals. The building currently does not have any of that equipment in the existing facility.
This year’s grant cycle focused on organizations that will direct the funds toward the need areas of arts and culture, athletics and education. Grants were awarded to organizations located in 55 of Wisconsin’s 72 counties, with 143 grants going to arts and culture, 66 to athletics and 189 to education.
Last year, when the Depot Exchange was awarded a grant towards remodeling and new signage, the grant cycle focused on needs in the areas elderly, homelessness, human services, and hunger.
In 2025, he focus areas will be animal welfare, civic/community, environmental, health/wellness include drug/alcohol and domestic violence causes.
“We’re proud to award $1.5 million through our annual Packers Foundation grants this year,” said Packers President/CEO Mark Murphy. “We are incredibly grateful for the work the recipient organizations carry out each and every day. The Packers are honored to recognize and support their dedication to positively impacting their communities.”
The Foundation now has distributed more than $25,797,000 for charitable purposes since it was established in 1986 by Judge Robert J. Parins, then president of the Packers Corporation, “as a vehicle to assure continued contributions to charity.”
The grants were announced during ab awards ceremony at Lambeau Field on Thursday, Nov. 21, and was attended by Fennimore Schools Physical Education Teachers Ryanne Carl and Tom Needham, who accepted the $3,500 grant on the school district’s behalf.
