Monsignor McCann Fund helps Newton YMCA with playtime

The Monsignor McCann Community Fund (MMCF), which came about after the 2019 sale of McCann Village to Wishrock, has announced a disbursement of its Spring 2020 grants and included in those recipients is the Newton YMCA.

The MMCF announced a grant in the amount of $15,000 to the Newton YMCA to assist it with modernizing the west playground. MMCF Board president Mark Thayer said the grant applications came in between November 2019 and February 2020.

“We took a look at the organizations and their mission. Several of us on the board understand the importance that the Newton YMCA plays within our community,” Thayer said.

This year the MMCF will be doing two rounds of grants, with another round in the fall, Thayer said. The organization plans to provide grants totaling roughly $50,000 per year. MMCF looks to disburse grants to existing entities who consistently assist the needy such as children and the elderly.

“One of the most pleasurable things I think you can do is to give money to organizations that really are going to put those funds to good use,” Thayer said.

The grant funds will go to the modernization of the west playground at the Newton YMCA. This is something Thayer said gets utilized quite often as the daycare at the Newton YMCA sees a lot of children among other programs and activities at the Newton YMCA.

“Newton would not be where it is today without the YMCA. We would have a very difficult time attracting young families to come to our community without the YMCA,” Thayer said.

The CEO of the Newton YMCA Lucas Hughes said money received from the MMCF grant will go to constructing a retaining wall to keep the pea gravel in, a fence and also to replace some older pea gravel with a fresh stock of it.

“We have already cleaned up our east side playground. Now, we want to look at our west side playground because that is more of the public use,” Hughes said.

The hopes Hughes said is that they can start the project in late spring. The grant will cover the cost of the project itself and the Newton YMCA is grateful for being awarded the grant from the MMCF and will have a plaque in honor of Monsignor McCann at the playground.

“We are blessed ... We are so excited to put that money to good use,” Hughes said.

The MMCF will look to continue to provide grants to organizations in the coming years. To apply for a grant visit www.mmcfund.org. MMCF announced three grants for spring going to Newton DMACC, Newton YMCA and the Pregnancy Center of Central Iowa.

“We are just really happy for the community of Newton,” Thayer said.

Contact Dustin Teays at 641-792-3121 ext. 6533 or dteays@newtondailynews.com