Donations to the Quincy Community Theatre, the Girl Scouts and the YMCA are targeted to low-income children.
by Phil Weber, Herald-Whig Staff Writer
In March, Samantha Otte died from complications arising from a liver
transplant. Today, the day before what would have been her 11th birthday, a little bit of her spirit lives again.
In front of her family, friends and community leaders, the Samantha Otte
Youth Opportunity Fund and the Quincy Area Community Foundation distributed almost $9,000 to several area organizations that provide leadership, artistic, humanitarian and community betterment opportunities for children.
“We wanted to help other children have the opportunity to be involved in
the organizations that our daughter Samantha was a part of,” said her
father, Chuck Otte.
The Quincy Community Theatre received $4,000 for the children’s theater
program. The organization plans to use the money to bring in a children’s
theater company to stage workshops, offer classes and give a performance. Much of this programming will be geared towards children from low-income families.
The Two Rivers Council of Girl Scouts received a $2,000 grant to help cover the cost of registration fees, special events and camping programs for about 100 girls in low-income areas.
The Quincy Family YMCA and the Quincy Art Center both received grants of $1,000. The YMCA grant will pay for introdutory swimming lessons for 500 children in the Head Start program. The Quincy Art Center will use the
money to develop educational programs for children who show promise in the visual arts.
Finally, the Quincy Area Community Foundation received $800 to benefit the organization’s Unrestricted Endowment Fund which, in turn, provides grants to other area non-profit groups.
Samantha had been a member of the Girl Scouts, participated in community and school theater, and attended classes at the Art Center.
“She got a lot of joy out of being involved in these organizations,” her
father said.
The donations to the Girl Scouts and QCT are the largest single grants the
Quincy Area Community Foundation has ever given.
“We’ve never given anybody more than $1,000,” said foundation Executive
Director D. Reaugh Broemmel.
In September, more than $20,000 was raised for the SOYOF at a golf
tournament, dinner and silent auction held at Westview Golf Course and the Knights of Columbus facility. This money helps ensure that the grant
program can continue.
A second golf fund-raiser is scheduled for October 21.