A local swimming club and a nonprofit that helps cancer patients pay for treatment are the recipients of two grants from the City of Soldotna.
Council members last week voted to award the groups $1,000 each for this year’s second cycle of the city’s mini grant program. That program funds civic programs, services and events that contribute to the overall quality of life for the community and residents of Soldotna.
The first grant went to the Soldotna Silver Salmon Swim Team, which plans to buy a new smart TV. The swimming club has been around since 1980 and offers competitive swimming opportunities for local young people.
Anastasia Monyahan told the council the television will be used to coach swimmers.
“Swimmers can be shown various techniques to improve their skills to assist them in accomplishing their goals,” she said. “The swimmers would not need to exit the pool to be able to visualize. Currently they need to come out, a coach is using their phone, they have to gather around the coach with this little phone to see.”
The other recipient is Way Out Women, a nonprofit that provides financial assistance to cancer patients on the Kenai Peninsula.
President Cheryl Tachick told council members the group will use the grant to expand its financial assistance program. That includes increasing direct patient aid and boosting outreach efforts.
“There are a lot of people out there that don’t know that we exist,” Tachick said.
Tachick estimates the organization has distributed $500 in financial assistance to more than three dozen people on the peninsula this year.
Council member Linda Farnsworth-Hutchings said she was excited about both of the grants awarded.
“I have supported Way Out Women for years so I was really happy to see that they’re getting some funds from us,” she said. “And the Soldotna Silver Salmon Swim Team — my youngest son, that’s where he learned to swim over here at the SoHi pool. So that has been an organization that’s been going strong for a number of years, so I was very happy to see that grant awarded as well.”
Soldotna’s next mini grant cycle opens Jan. 15 and runs through Feb. 15. Applications are due by the last day of the cycle window. Recipients are limited to one grant award per fiscal year. More information about the mini grant program can be found on the city’s website at soldotna.org.
