SURREY –The Aggie Foundation has awarded $8,000 to Surrey Public School District to update the school’s health curriculum.

These funds are the result of a partnership with Big Dog Saloon, a bar and grill in Surrey. As the gaming authority for the charitable gaming located within the Big Dog Saloon, the Aggie Foundation distributes gaming profits back into the community.

The Aggie Foundation, which acts as gaming authority for about 15 local bars and social clubs across North Dakota, works with community leaders to identify organizations in need of economic assistance. Surrey School was selected to receive funds for its health programming.

“Our current health curriculum is very outdated and especially with COVID being a part of our world now, we need to provide pertinent and important health information to our students,” said David Gerding, Surrey School District superintendent.

The funds will allow Surrey School to purchase new health curriculum programming for 7th, 8th, and 10th grade students. Glencoe Health, the selected programming publisher, provides students with age-appropriate content that aligns with the National Health Education Standards to help students become health-literate individuals. Glencoe Health also emphasizes social and emotional skills while exploring up-to-date information and statistics on timely, relevant topics including: the COVID-19 pandemic and other communicable diseases; alcohol and drugs; tobacco use; cyberbullying, privacy and online harassment.

“It’s important that when we operate in these small towns and communities, that the proceeds stay in those communities. We make sure to ask locals what their greatest need is and allow them access to funds that aren’t tied into a large, outside organization. We’re here to help them with projects that will have a lasting impact,” said Aggie Foundation president, Terry Peterson, about the foundation’s role as a liaison between charitable gaming and community support.

Aggie Foundation was established in 2012 by a group of friends from Velva. The foundation initially supported a mission of charitable giving via a modest, yearly scholarship provided to a Velva senior who excelled in biology courses. It began to help raise funds for citizens in need, schools, youth sports and local organizations/groups doing good things in Velva and the surrounding communities.

The foundation’s expansion as a broad grant-provider and community partner allows it to support organizations across North Dakota. It seeks to support education, amateur sports and economic development as a means to create vibrant communities.

For more information regarding Aggie Foundation, e-mail aggiefoundation@gmail.com. Or visit Aggie Foundation’s Facebook page (@AggieFoundation.