The Scott County Regional Authority (SCRA) chose the St. Ambrose Wellness and Recreation Center to host a May ceremony where spring grant cycle awards totaling $1.5 million were distributed to local schools, nonprofit agencies and community organizations.
Among those was the final $50,000 installment on a $250,000 grant the SCRA awarded in 2016 in support of St. Ambrose's Building Our Future capital campaign, for which the Wellness and Recreation Center was the priority project.
The SCRA, which holds the gaming license to the Isle Casino, Bettendorf, distributes funds from gaming receipts twice a year to fund local project requests. It awarded a total of 73 projects benefiting residents of Scott County for the spring cycle.
Dozens of representatives from those groups gathered in the second-floor lounge area of the WRC, which overlooks the 56,000-square-foot Joe '72 and Joyce O'Rourke Fieldhouse.
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"I am both delighted and honored that St. Ambrose was asked to host this program acknowledging the great work of so many area non-profits and the generous philanthropy of the Scott County Regional Authority and Isle of Capri," said Sister Joan Lescinski, CSJ, PhD, president of St. Ambrose. "We are also very grateful for the SCRA's grant in support of this beautiful facility and critically important project.."
Sr. Joan noted the center was a busy place in the months since its August 2017 opening.
"These facilities were used more than 41,000 times by our students, faculty and staff and 44 events for community guests were held," she said.
The latter was particularly gratifying, Sr. Joan explained, because the university stressed in its grant application for SCRA assistance that St. Ambrose planned for the building to serve as a community resource.
That has happened. In the first nine months alone, groups making use of the facility included the Davenport Police Department, the US Marine Corps, CommUniversity, the Relay for Life organization and the Boy Scouts of America.
In addition, area high school athletics teams were able to use the Wellness and Recreation Center for practices and league competitions.
"The community access envisioned when we launched the campaign is coming to pass and will continue to be explored in the future," Sr. Joan said.
SCRA board members were able to use the occasion to visit the WRC's cardio workout room named in recognition of the SCRA's generous support.
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