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WAITT FOUNDATION ANNOUNCES FIRST "YOUTH PHILANTHROPY" PROJECT
COMPLETION
Sioux City, IA - July 2003 - The Waitt Family
Foundation, along with the West High School junior
and senior sociology class, announce the completion
of the first WFF Youth Philanthropy project with
the opening of "West Point Park" basketball court.
The park is located at 1215 West 5th St, across
the street from the old West Middle School site.
There will be a grand opening and dedication Friday,
June 25th at 10:00 am. Anyone interested is invited
to attend.
Cindy Waitt, Siouxland Chapter Director of the foundation, began the
Youth Philanthropy program this spring with the assistance of her sister,
Marcia Waitt, a teacher at West High school and her junior and senior
students.
| The project began this spring
with visits by the foundation to the classroom to review the basics
of philanthropy, the process involved, and to work together to
create a student driven project that would benefit a neighborhood
or community. The students themselves were given the chance to
choose a project within a specific price range and participated
in fund raising for the project, contacting businesses and potential
donors, writing the proposal to the School Board, and visiting
with neighbors regarding the need for such a project. Marcia Waitt
and the students, in discussing a void left by the moving of West
Middle school, looked at a flat vacated lot, formerly the site
of a portable classroom at the old West Middle School, and decided
it would be a great location for a basketball court. |
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Cindy Waitt of the Waitt Foundation, stated, "It's been fantastic working
with Marcia, the West High administration, Larry Williams, and these
kids on this. Youth Philanthropy is a growing movement around the country,
and I wanted to involve students in learning about giving back to their
neighborhoods and communities."
Marcia Waitt said, "The students really enjoyed the hands on experience
and learning what it means to give back to the community. We hope people
can enjoy this park for years to come".
Waitt gives credit for inspiration for this project to groups such as
the Mayor's Youth Commission and the East High Action Volunteers. "There
are already many young people around Siouxland giving back to our city,
and I've always been tremendously impressed by their vitality and dedication." Waitt
plans to approach other schools in 2004 for the next project. In addition,
the students at West plan to launch a "philanthropy club" next year.
The foundation would like to thank the following businesses and individuals
for making the project possible: Larry Williams, the Sioux City School
Board, West High School, Bruce Jorgenson and Brower Construction, Bookpeople,
Moshers, Faulk Brothers, Ralph Hesse Insurance, Riverside Dairy Queen,
Palmer Candy, the Sioux City Schools Operations and Maintenance Department
and the neighbors of West Fifth Street.
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