Seward County Gives to benefit 40 causes

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Seward County Gives kicks off May 1 for five days of giving toward 40 organizations across Seward County.

Organizers of the campaign hope to top the $162,000 raised for 24 organizations last year during the inaugural event.

Giving opens Monday, May 1, and runs through Friday, May 5, at sewardcountygives.com.

Donors also may contribute in-person at Cattle National Bank, Union Bank and Trust, Jones Bank and Bagels and Joe in Seward; Pizza Kitchen and Jones Bank in Milford; PDale Pub in Pleasant Dale; and First Bank of Utica in Utica and Cordova.

A “Lunch on the Lawn” organization fair will be from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. on Wednesday, May 3, on the courthouse lawn in Seward, 529 Seward Street, with lunch provided. The fair will give donors a chance to learn about each participating organization’s needs.

A finale party will be from 5:30 to 7:30 p.m. on Friday, May 5, at PDale Pub, 201 Ash Street in Pleasant Dale, with food, entertainment, prizes and announcement of the donation totals.

Participating organizations are raising money for the following projects. Further details on each project are available at sewardcountygives.com.

Blue River Pet Rescue – To enhance the dog play area with shaded structures for improved animal welfare and community engagement.

Blue Valley Community Action Partnership – To purchase an Illumination Station augmented reality component for the Seward County Head Start early childhood education program.

City of Milford – To update outdated play equipment in the uptown city park and replace it with ADA-compliant pieces as part of an overall park improvement project.

Flatwater Film Festival – To celebrate art in film created by Nebraskans passionate about cinema during the third annual film festival to be held at the historic Rivoli Theatre in Seward in October.

Goehner Volunteer Fire Department – To purchase a LUCAS device, a mechanical device that delivers consistent and uninterrupted automatic chest compressions during CPR, freeing first responders to provide additional services and reduce chaos around the patient.

Heart to Heart Ministries – To provide financial assistance for those seeking services of qualified Christian providers.

Hope Crisis Center – To assist with shelter, food and necessities for individuals and families fleeing domestic violence.

Illuminate Seward – To replace the broken white lights lining the tops of downtown Seward buildings with new, high-efficiency LED bulbs.

Jays Club – To fund an interactive gaming system that will allow children to be active, play games, build teamwork and learn to navigate competition.

Kiwanis Club of Milford – To continue funding backpacks full of food for more than 50 families in need of meals over the weekend or during the summer when school meals are not available.

Kiwanis Club of Seward Foundation – To replace the flags at the Seward Parade of Flags every six months because of wind damage and fading.

Helping Hands Kiwanis Club of Seward – To purchase tables, chairs, bookshelves, games, easels, cubbies and storage for the Kids Watch Room at the Seward Wellness Center.

Legacy Fund for Seward County – To help build an unrestricted endowment fund for local projects that benefit the community.

Milford Volunteer Fire and Rescue Department – To purchase new bunker gear for 27 volunteer firefighters.

Mound Prairie Cemetery Association – To help with beautification and upkeep of the cemetery grounds located two miles northwest of Goehner.

Nebraska National Guard Historical Society – To fund the Fort Donelson exhibit at the Nebraska National Guard Museum in Seward, highlighting the soldiers’ contributions to the Civil War victory.

Olde Glory Theater – To help pay for hail damage repairs from the June 2022 storm not covered by insurance.

Our Redeemer Lutheran Church and School – To finish Phase Two of the gymnasium and multi-use facility in the Ministry Center.

Pleasant Dale Ball Association – To update the ball field with a new retaining wall, visitor shade, fencing crown, foul ball barrier, new American flags, an updated batting cage and foul ball poles.

Seward Arts Council – To help fund the Fifth Street Summer Music Series featuring local bands at the Seward Bandshell the second Saturday of each month, June through September.

Seward Blue River Historical District – To restore and relocate an 1868 log cabin and turn the location into a visitor and educational destination.

Seward Foster Friends – To move to the next stage of remodeling the building, which will allow for better organization of donated items and easier ways to serve the community.

Seward Fourth of July Celebration Committee – To add permanent speakers the downtown square for year-round events.

Seward Memorial Library – To repurpose areas of the library to better serve current needs of the community, including easier access to historical records and the Library of Things, expanding the Used Book Nook and adding more study rooms.

Sixpence/Educational Service Unit 6 – To purchase baby diapers and wipes for families who need but can’t afford them.

Seward United Methodist Church – To finish funding the Gather and Grow addition to the building, which includes better accessibility and security for the church and Bright Beginnings Child Development Center.

Seward Volunteer Fire Department – To purchase a handicap-accessible inflatable fire education house to simulate fire scenarios in a safe environment for schools and community events.

Seward-ish Giving Tree – To pay off negative lunch balances at schools in Seward County.

Southeast Nebraska CASA – To provide training and mental health support for staff and volunteer court-appointed special advocates.

St. Vincent de Paul Catholic School – To fund a new preschool playground and add equipment in the existing playground space.

Staplehurst Volunteer Fire Department – To replace 10 sets of bunker gear for volunteer firefighters.

Tamora Volunteer Fire Department – To purchase a new set of bunker gear for a volunteer firefighter.

The Model Train Club of Seward County – To purchase or rent a more permanent space to assemble model train displays.

Utica Ball Organization – To update the ball fields, restrooms, concession stand and batting cages and add a storage shed, and to make the ballpark handicap-accessible.

Utica Community Foundation – To update the aging picnic shelter in the south city park.

Utica Volunteer Fire and Rescue Department – To replace five sets of bunker gear for volunteer firefighters.

Village of Cordova – To spruce up landscaping around the windmill in the center of town and around the picnic shelter in the park.

Village of Utica Parks and Pool – To fund a new public swimming pool with ADA chair, lap lanes, a spiral slide, diving board, basketball hoop and young children’s play equipment in a zero-entry zone, as well as ADA accessible bath houses, new chairs, shades and concession area.