SEK-CAP seeks ARRA project ideas

In 2004, the Weir Public Library’s DVD collection boasted a whopping 14 movies. Today, through the efforts of Director Stef Arbuckle, that collection has grown to more than 300 — a needed improvement in a time when a VCR is harder to find than Waldo in those children’s books.

Assisting in the further development of the library’s collection is a $2,871 grant from the Southeast Kansas Community Action Program, an allotment from SEK-CAP’s portion of the federal American Recovery and Reinvestment Act funds. Along with buying more DVDs, Arbuckle has used the money to develop a CD-style audio-book collection and to buy large-print westerns.

The purchases were all necessary, Arbuckle said, to create a more up-to-date inventory and to provide more options to its patrons.

“You can’t buy anything on tape anymore and we’re the only place in Weir for people to borrow visual materials,” she said. “It’s easier for people to come to the library than to commute to Pittsburg or Columbus. This has been a wonderful benefit to us.”

Approximately 80 miles northwest of Weir, the Elm Creek Community Garden in Iola — the only community garden in southeast Kansas — is preparing to double in size. A large shed has been built, more plots are being added and equipment suitable both for young children and adults with disabilities is being purchased. The ECCG has also hired a garden coordinator and a part-time bookkeeper.

Most of those improvements were funded by a $24,940 grant from SEK-CAP’S ARRA fund —  part of the Community Services Block Grant and administered through the Kansas Housing Resources Corporation — money without which the ECCG “wouldn’t have been able to do hardly any of this,” said marketing and public relations director Carolyn McLean.

When SEK-CAP was charged last year with spending more than $480,000 of ARRA money in the communities the organization serves, the Weir and Iola projects were examples of just what SEK-CAP’s ARRA coordinator Aaron McConnell had in mind — and he and his team have wasted little time getting that money out to the people. As of last week, SEK-CAP has spent nearly $200,000 on projects throughout southeast Kansas.

The primary focus has been placed on developing and implementing initiatives for the elderly and youth, though not all projects are exclusive to those particular groups. Several area libraries have been beneficiaries of the program, and other projects include the Linn County Crime Stoppers’ texting program and the Coffeyville Children’s Choir.

While McConnell grins from ear to ear while discussing “all of the good” that has come through the ARRA funds project, he and his team are still on the hunt for more projects. SEK-CAP still has approximately $280,000 to spend, and only has until Sept. 30 to do so.

“It’s getting to the point where we need some new ideas,” McConnell said. “We need some new projects. We are running out of ideas and we still have a lot of money to spend.”

Not all applications for ARRA funds are approved, as SEK-CAP has a tight set of guidelines with which to evaluate applications. The $195,000 SEK-CAP has awarded is about half of the amount that has been requested. McConnell said SEK-CAP hesitates to spend more than $25,000 on one project, preferring to spread the cash around as much as possible.

“Our goal is to help as many people as possible,” he said. “We could have spent $480,000 on one project and it would have been something pretty amazing, like a community center. But that’s not what we want this money to do. We want to spread this around to all of our communities.”

Locally, the United Way of Crawford County in December received a check for $24,999 to shore up its campaign fundraising goal, which campaign director Ronda Ison described as a “blessing.”

To submit a proposal, e-mail “idea or plans” to ARRA@SEK-CAP.COM. More information about the program, including a map of ARRA projects, can be found at www.sek-cap.com.