Submitted by Jessica Schenkel
Freedom’s Frontier National Heritage Area and the Lowell Milken Center for Unsung Heroes are pleased to announce that the Lowell Milken Center is the recipient of an Interpretive Grant in the amount of $4,000 for the project “She Outranks Me.”
This grant funding will allow the Lowell Milken Center to design, produce and display a new exhibit panel in their Hall of Unsung Heroes that features Mary Bickerdyke, a hero from an era that greatly impacted Fort Scott and the Civil War.
The Freedom’s Frontier Interpretive Grant program was started in 2012. Since then, more than 90 projects have been awarded grant funding. Grant projects have been completed on both sides of the Missouri-Kansas border, in the 41-county region that comprises the heritage area. Projects awarded grant funding must interpret local history and connect to one or more of the three major themes of the heritage area: the shaping of the frontier, the Missouri-Kansas Border War and the enduring struggle for freedom. Grants range in amount from under $1,500 to $5,000. All awards over $1,500 require that the grant recipient show a local match of half the amount of the award. This match can be in the form of cash, or in-kind donations and staff and volunteer time.
Freedom’s Frontier National Heritage Area is one of 49 heritage areas in the U.S. Heritage areas are nonprofit affiliates of the National Park Service (NPS). They act as coordinating entities between the local organizations telling nationally significant stories and the NPS. Freedom’s Frontier was established as a heritage area on October 12, 2006, when signed into law by President George Bush. The heritage area’s management plan was approved by the Department of the Interior and the NPS in 2010. Freedom’s Frontier is headquartered in the Carnegie Building, 200 W 9th St., in Lawrence, Kan.
The Lowell Milken Center is a non-profit 501©(3) that works with students and educators within a range of diverse academic disciplines, to develop projects focused on unsung heroes. Once their projects are finished, they advocate the student’s unsung heroes by sharing them in the Hall of Unsung Heroes or their website so people all over the world discover their individual influence and obligation to take actions that improve the lives of others. The Hall of Unsung Heroes is proudly located in Southeast Kansas and showcases some of the top projects developed in collaboration with the Center.
“With the funds granted by the FFNHA, many students, teachers and visitors will have an opportunity to learn of Bickerdyke’s tireless efforts in providing the best health care possible during the Civil War and be inspired by her actions. We are excited about this grant and the ability to continue to share positive role models!” says Jessica Schenkel, administrative specialist for the Lowell Milken Center.
Grant applications are accepted from organizations within the borders of the heritage area which have signed a partner pledge with Freedom’s Frontier, and meet all other qualifications for grant funding. Applications are reviewed quarterly by a peer group from the partnership. Organizations are asked to complete their grant projects within a year of the grant award. For more information about Freedom’s Frontier National Heritage Area, visit the Web site at www.freedomsfrontier.org.