Community Chest contributes to local organizations

By Everett Brazil, III

The Newkirk Herald Journal

NEWKIRK — Several community service organizations received a much-needed boost as the Newkirk Community Chest made donations to help support those organizations to promote the community.

About $17,000 was raised through the organization in the past few months, which benefited several groups, including the Opportunity Center, Newkirk Youth Program, Newkirk Takedown Club, Newkirk Educational Foundation, Newkirk Historical Society, Newkirk Main Street, Newkirk Public Library and Northern Oklahoma Youth.

Community Chest has supported the same groups for a number of years, due to the impact they have in Newkirk.

“We mail letters to people, asking for donations,” said co-chairperson Allison Bliss. “We shoot for $17,000, and we get a lot of donations from the Peel Foundation, but they cut back this year.”

That didn’t stop the organization from being able to benefit local charities, in an effort to make Newkirk a better place to live and work.