Earlier this month, Keota Community Schools was named as a recipient of two Washington County Riverboat Foundation 2023 Spring Grants. Between the two grants, the district was awarded a total of $105,000. 

Principal of Keota Elementary School, Seth Milledge, tells KCII where a bulk of those funds will be going. “We received $100,000 for our playground, a playground that was renovated about 25 years ago that we’re trying to upgrade in three phases, and this will be the first portion of that.” The other $5,000 will be used to purchase three Automated External Defibrillators. 

The acquisition of the AED’s coincides with Keota’s recent designation as a Heart Safe School. With plans for the playground project now in motion, Keota will be working with Boland Recreation out of Marshalltown, who constructed the original playground. 

When asked what the grant money means for Keota, Milledge added, “It’s quite an honor to be able to do this for our community and for our kids. What it’ll mean is smiling faces. It’ll be more adventures outside. It’ll be just a wonderful addition to our school district and our community as a whole. In terms of the AED’s, it can be life-altering.” 

The Washington County Riverboat Foundation is the non-profit license holder for the Riverside Casino & Golf Resort, which provides all of its funding. WCRF gave out a total of 25 grants for their spring cycle, totaling $1,630,255.