CROSBY — The trustees of the John & Elaine Andrist Charitable Trust have awarded seven grants totaling $33,100 to organizations seeking to improve the quality of life in northwest North Dakota. These grants mark the second iteration of community investments to come from the trust since its establishment in 2018.

Successful grant applicants were selected because of their demonstrated and predicted future impact on the area by supporting community and economic development, arts and culture and innovation. The organizations receiving funds include:

— BIO Girls, $500 to support the implementation of self-esteem programming for adolescent girls (ages 7-12) in Divide County. “Beautiful Inside and Out” (BIO) is a 12-week program combining life-skills curriculum, small-group mentoring, and physical activity in a positive, inclusive environment.

— Burlington Recreation Commission, $500 to support the construction of a new splash pad. The newly operational splash pad is supporting residents of all ages in Burlington to build community and continue to recover from the devastating 2011 Souris River Flood.

— City of Columbus, $3,000 to support the construction of Columbus Cougar Park. Columbus Cougar Park will be the result of renovations and improvements to the former Columbus High School lot, and it will provide for youth in the community to play and improve beautification efforts.

— Divide County School District, $5,000 to support the purchase of STEM equipment and implementation of STEM activities. With this support, the Divide County School District will gain the ability to assemble STEM classroom kits and make a 3-D printer available for students that will facilitate hands-on lessons integrating science, technology, engineering, math and art.

— International Music Camp, $2,100 to support camper scholarships for Divide County youth. International Music Camp is a summer school of fine arts that offers a wide array of cultural study for students and adults. Through grant support, scholarships will be provided to six youth in the Divide County area to attend.

— Meadowlark Arts Council, $18,000 matching challenge grant to support repairs and upgrades at the Dakota Theater in Crosby. The Meadowlark Arts Council has already received grant funds to support restroom accessibility upgrades and, with the support of the Andrist Trust, the organization will be able to incorporate more renovations to worn flooring, marquee and aged furnace.

— NW Outdoorsmen, $4,000 to support operations for one year. NW Outdoorsmen supports individuals with disabilities to enjoy the outdoors and owns and operates an accessible house for those visiting the area to stay.

“Through the trust, we have been able to invest over $225,000 in community projects in 2019,” said trustee Levi Andrist. “We are excited to continue investing in the communities of northwest North Dakota through our upcoming 2020 biannual grant cycles.”

The John & Elaine Andrist Charitable Trust’s community investments are administered by the Northwest North Dakota Community Foundation. The next opportunity to request funds from the trust will be in the spring of 2020.

Successful applications will align with the trust’s focus areas. More information can be found at www.johnandelaineandristcharitabletrust.com.