Submitted Photo Wendy Rupert, Minotauros captian Cole Mickel, Andrea Ziemer and Luke Vincent hold a symbolic check from the Sleep Inn & Suites and Aggie Foundation to the Minotauros.

A partnership between Aggie Foundation and Minot Sleep Inn & Suites’ Best Kept Secret Lounge has provided several area organizations with funding to continue to support their youth-focused programming.

Recent funding includes $2,000 to the Des Lacs-Burlington Laker Booster Club to provide team uniforms to student athletes; $1,000 to support the general mission of the Minot Sertoma Club; $2,000 to Dakota Cruisers in support of their scholarship for students interested in pursuing a career in the automotive industry; $2,000 to Trinity Health Foundation for nursing scholarships; $4,500 to the Minotauros Junior Hockey Club to provide equipment for youth; $2,000 to South Prairie School for youth athletic tournaments; and $2,000 to Minot’s Gymagic Gymnastics for equipment.

According to Sleep Inn & Suites and the Best Kept Secret Lounge information, “We are very fortunate to have partnered with the Aggie Foundation and to have the opportunity to give back to the community. We have designed our program to revolve around scholarships, youth initiatives and community service projects.”

Sheila Gerding, a school counselor, senior class adviser, and girls basketball coach at South Prairie School has played an integral role in organizing athletic tournaments for youth sporting events. “The tournament experience is such a fun thing for kids to participate in, but we didn’t see a lot of tournaments happening in the Minot area. We decided to start something, and our superintendent was very supportive and willing to open our building as a host facility. There are a lot of teams willing to travel and see what South Prairie has to offer,” she said.

South Prairie is a pre-K through Grade 12 school located south of Minot. A recent tournament hosted at the site had over 900 kids take part. The funding provided by Aggie Foundation will allow South Prairie to provide participating athletes with prizes that are more personal than typical awards given away at tournaments.

“Often you go to a tournament and maybe you’ll get a medal, but we wanted to make it more special. First-place winners take home a hoodie, runners-up get long-sleeved shirts, and the rest receive T-shirts. Kids are always really proud to wear gear from something they took part in,” Gerding said. “What makes tournaments successful is the organization it takes to put these events together. Sometimes we work with other schools to make sure we have enough space for everyone. We work closely with the schools in Max and Surrey. It’s great to partner with other communities who understand how important these tournaments are. From officials to parents, we all want kids to have a good experience.”

Aggie Foundation was established in 2012 by a group of friends from Velva. It has expanded to become a broad grant-provider and community partner. The foundation operates charitable gaming in 15 sites across North Dakota and works with community leaders to identify which organizations are in need of economic assistance.