Senior center awarded $50,000 grant

Kayne Pyatt, Herald Reporter
Posted 2/19/19

Local seniors to benefit from Daniels Fund grant

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Senior center awarded $50,000 grant

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EVANSTON — The Uinta County Senior Citizens Center is celebrating the receiving of a $50,000 grant from the Daniels Fund of Denver. Former director Amy Kelly started working on writing the grant over a year ago and 99 percnet of the work on it was done by her. Current Executive Director Aimee Ottley and Program Director Barb Bauer completed and submitted the grant.

The Daniels Fund serves Colorado, New Mexico, Utah and Wyoming with its grants and scholarship programs and Ethics Initiative.  Funding stays within the four states listed. 

Bill Daniels was a visionary business leader whose compassion for people and unwavering ethics and integrity earned him the respect of many his whole life. Born in Greeley, Colorado, in 1920, he grew up during the Great Depression, was a decorated fighter pilot in WWII which won him a Bronze Star.

Daniels was a driving force in establishing the cable television industry. He was a pioneer in sports programming, president of the American Basketball Association, founder of the U.S. Football League, and owner of the Utah Stars, Los Angeles Express and the L.A. Lakers. The Business School at the University of Denver was renamed the Daniels College of Business. 

Daniels was a billionaire philanthropist who spent his final years in Denver, setting up the Daniels Fund. When he died, his entire estate went to the fund and made it one of the largest foundations in the Rocky Mountain Region. The historical impact of the Daniels Fund since its inception in 2000 is significant. Through 2017, grants in all funding areas amounted to $574,994,465 and scholarships amounted to $186,466,138.

The following areas are considered for grant funding: aging, amateur sports, disabilities, drug and alcohol addiction, early childhood education, homeless & disadvantaged, K-12 education reform and youth development. The median grant awarded in Colorado and Wyoming has been $75,000.  

Bill Daniels’ concern for his own mother, Adele, who wanted to stay in her own home as she grew older, inspired him to want to fund aging projects. Those projects must include in-home services, community engagement and hospice care. Organizations requesting funds must be a nonprofit. The Daniels Fund focuses on highly effective nonprofit organizations that achieve significant results in their community.  

To be able to apply for a Daniels Fund grant, the organization must meet these standards:

• Alignment: The organization is in alignment with their area and its priorities.

• Viability: local and other financial support is there so project continues after the grant.

• Capacity: effective leadership, knowledge and resources to implement programs.

• Impact: there is significant impact in the community.

• Performance: evidence-based, studied and proven effective.

After former director Sarah Blakeman stole hundreds of thousands of dollars from the center over several years, it was difficult for a short time to receive any outside funding. Not only did Blakeman embezzle public funds, she also incurred debts that the center is still getting billed from a California businesses Blakeman had set up with senior center money.

“It has been a very difficult task and has taken hard work to gain the trust of the community after Blakeman devastated the center,” Ottley said.

Ottley went on to explain how when Blakeman was arrested and escorted out by Evanston police, all funding was frozen at that moment and no money was coming into the center for a couple of months. The staff was loyal and continued to work and serve the community even knowing they might not be paid for some time. 

“We now have completely transparent books and open communication,” Ottley said. “We have new administration and new board members who deserve a chance to prove they are honest and trustworthy.

The $50,000 grant is designated for the nutrition program, which includes Meals on Wheels and in-house meals, social programs and in-home health care services to ensure those programs continue.

“I can’t say it enough, we are very grateful to the Daniels Fund,” Bauer said. 

Both Bauer and Ottley said they’re also very grateful for the many donors and volunteers who have continued to help them serve senior citizens in Uinta County and its communities.