Cando Connection

Cando area nonprofit organizations, governmental and educational entities that have been the recipients of Impact-Cando Connection grants totaling over $225,000 since the inception of the fund include:

• Cando Area Food Pantry
• Cando Arts Council
• Cando Audi Theatre
• Cando Baseball Association
• Cando Community Library
• Cando Fire Department
• Cando Golf Club
• Cando Hockey Arena
• Cando Park Board
• Can-Do Senior Citizens, Inc.
• Heartview Foundation - Cando
• Northstar Public School Foundation
• Towner County - 4-H Council
• Towner County Ambulance Service, Inc.
• Towner County Community Foundation
• Towner County Historical Society
• Towner County Living Center
• Towner County Medical Center
• UFFDA Fund for Animals

What has been the "impact" of these Cando Connection Fund grants in the Cando area to date?

• The Cando Area Food Pantry serves over 100 people through nearly 50 families annually, and is able to provide a wider variety of food because of the purchase of a freezer for the facility. A new sign was purchased with a grant in 2010 which more easily identifies the location of their facility in the community. A highly successful match grant campaign was held over the Christmas holidays in 2011 which assisted in provision of supplies for the facility. In 2013, 2014, 2015, 2016 and 2017, grants were awarded which provided partial support for the BackPack Program. In 2018 and 2019, grants were awarded which enabled food purchases to help stock the shelves at the food pantry.

• Over 4,000 people have been served by the Cando Arts Council, and 650 artists and performers have participated in 20-25 programs each year because the facility has remained open the entire year. The 2012 grant provided partial funding for the annual Children's Musical. The 2013 grant provided funding for the relocation and repair of the Chickering Grand Piano, used to accompany the children and adult musicals, high school productions, various musical concerts, and recitals. The Chickering Grand Piano was back home at the Audi for the 100th year of the Audi Building, and provided a wonderful, full, rich sound to enhance concerts and musicals, bringing more enjoyment to the pianist and the audience. In 2014, a grant provided partial funding for the Adult Musical, and in 2017, a grant provided partial funding for a Tigirlily Concert and Lyceum to inspire the musical dreams that youth and adults may have about their future. Tigirlily is a popular sister duo who hail from North Dakota, and are making their presence known in the Nashville, TN area. In 2018, a grant was awarded for kitchen appliances to help upgrade the kitchen located in the lower level of the Audi Theatre, and renovation continued in 2019 with a grant award for replacement of the theatrical scrim for the Audi Theatre stage.

• Cando Baseball Association has been awarded grants for operational expenses, maintenance costs, a youth baseball program, a match grant to the MN Twins grant, and a 2017 grant to provide partial funding for the completion of the north side ball diamond fencing, affording nearly 100 area youth an opportunity to enjoy the sport of baseball in a safe environment. The 2018 grant award helped with the purchase of baseball equipment and protective gear, and in 2019, a grant award continued renovation on the outfield of the Cando Baseball Field.

• Can-Do Senior Citizens, Inc. was awarded a match grant to be used for partial funding of the Can-Do Senior Citizens, Inc.'s new mini-bus project for the Cando Public Transit. The new 14-passenger ADA accessible mini-bus replaced the existing 2002 mini-bus due to age and mileage. The new vehicle enables safe, reliable transit for residents in the Towner County area.

• A matching grant was awarded to the Audi Theatre for their digital equipment upgrade, which encouraged donations during their campaign. The new equipment allows the facility to continue to provide entertainment to residents in the area for years to come. Another grant provided partial funding to complete the purchase and installation of air conditioning for the projector room at the Cando Audi Theatre, which needs to have a maintained room temperature for the new digital equipment to run consistently and efficiently. A grant in 2017 provided funding for Concession Room cupboards and additional countertop to improve the appearance of the room and better serve patrons using the historic facility. In 2018, a grant was awarded to assist with the kitchen upgrade, located in the lower level of the Audi Theatre, and in 2019, a grant was awarded to fund replacement of the Concession Room floor and menu board.

• The Cando Community Library serves 5,500 people annually, and through our grant funding has additional access to the internet, enhanced shelving options for library materials, rooms for children and teens, a Librarian Workstation, completion of a handicap-accessible area within the library, and replacement of patron computer stations. The 2017 grant continued the placement of permanent shelving for the Non-Fiction Room of the library. In 2018, a grant was awarded for the replacement of patron workstations, and in 2019, the grant award provided funding for participation in the Dolly Parton Imagination Library Program at the library.

• The Cando Fire Department, serving Cando and the Towner County area, is a recent recipient of a grant to purchase and install a Federal Signal FCH Controller, a digital system that will speed up the time calling the fire hall to set off the city-wide fire alarm, facilitating text messaging to alert each fire department member of an incoming emergency call, and providing cell phone contact to fire department volunteers living and working in town or rural areas. The 2017 grant provided partial funding to replace the unreliable existing vehicle used for fighting grass and range fires, which makes up nearly 80% of fire calls. The updated Grass/Range Fire Attack Vehicle will be able to handle rough terrain so firefighters can handle these types of fire more effectively and efficiently. The 2018 grant award funded the purchase of grassland fire protection boots, and the 2019 grant award funded the purchase of a bunker gear set. 

• 1,500 people utilize the Cando Golf Club each year, and 200 area families are members of this facility. Grants have enhanced the entrance sign, grounds of the golf course, provided partial funding for replacement of the concrete patio area, assisted with the update of the clubhouse, provided funding for an upgrade of the exterior sign-in stand, and partial funding for an upgraded automated watering system for the golf course. The 2018 grant award funded the locker area conversion grant, and the grant awarded in 2019 provided partial funding for window replacement for the north side of the clubhouse.

• The Cando Hockey Arena through the Cando Area Hockey Boosters provides positive programming to 40 area youth annually who may not otherwise be able to participate. Additionally, partial grant funding was provided for the purchase of a Zamboni for the facility.

• The Cando Park Board received partial grant funding for the repair and maintenance of the Cando Swimming Pool, which provides swimming lessons and enjoyment for children and adults, and the purchase of new picnic tables for the Cando Park. In 2017, the new grant provided partial funding for the remodeling of the Cando Hockey Arena Bathrooms, providing a better overall experience for people utilizing the facility. The 2018 match grant award provided funding for the Band Stand restoration project, and in 2019, two grant awards provided funds for new bathrooms and a new roof for the Cando City Park shelter. 

• Heartview Foundation - Cando received a match grant that provided partial funding to assemble a resource library of books and DVDs in an appropriate room at the Heartview-Cando facility to share with patients, families, and the Cando/Towner County and surrounding area.  Patient education is a vital component of therapy, with videos and books used nearly every day at the substance abuse treatment center. In 2019, a grant award provided funding for scholarships for licensures and certifications.

• The Leaper/Jumper placed at the Northstar Public School through a grant to their Foundation has provided access to 35 student athletes and 120 students in junior and senior high school to build their overall strength, fitness, and endurance, thereby improving their health. Additionally, Northstar Public School has been the recipient of a matching grant for the Bearcats Give Back campaign in 2012 which benefitted the Towner County Medical Center for the Radiology Suite Campaign, American Cancer Society, Cando Community Library, Audi Theatre, and the Dollars for Scholars Program. A grant for musical equipment was awarded, as well as ongoing funding each year for scholarship grants. In 2015, a match grant which provided funding through the North Star Public School Foundation Cancer Awareness Community Fundraiser for Towner County Medical Center to purchase chemotherapy chairs and a blanket warmer for the chemotherapy unit, and new mammography gowns was awarded. In 2018, grant funding was awarded for the purchase of Orff Instruments for the elementary music program, and in 2019, a grant award partially funded the NorthStar Volleyball Program.

• The Towner County - 4-H Council received grants for partial funding for Towner County 4-H events, fair premiums, and scholarships as needed for members to attend 4-H sponsored camps and events, and funding for educating youth about the importance of safe shooting and hunting practices, providing an appreciation and understanding of natural resources and enhancing their self-confidence, personal development, responsibility, and sportsmanship. In 2017, grant funding was awarded for the Towner County 4-H Shooting Sports Club, and in 2018, a grant award provided funding for general Towner County 4-H Council programs.

• The Towner County Ambulance Service was the recipient of grants for purchase of a laptop for ambulance service management, hosting a defensive driving class for ambulance/emergency vehicle drivers, and partial funding for the purchase of an Evac-U-Splint System, to improve the patient's comfort while minimizing complications in patients of all ages with any type of fracture. A 2018 match grant provided funding for new CPR meters to improve the monitoring of depth and rate of chest compressions during training, ultimately improving the quality of CPR performed.

• The residents of Cando and people traveling through the area can take pride in the Cando sign greeting them at the corner of Highways 281 and 17 awarded through the Towner County Community Foundation.

• The Towner County Historical Society was the recipient of a grant in 2020 that provided funding for carpet to be placed in the kitchen, sports area, and bathrooms in the school building at the Towner County Historical Society Museum, which provided a refreshed and comfortable space for visitors and volunteers from the region while visiting the museum.

• The Towner County Living Center received a grant for partial funding to purchase a newer van for safe transportation of residents and remodeling the nursing home so that the building and infrastructure match the quality of care that takes place at the facility. In 2018, a grant award provided funding for advanced technology to improve the quality of care at the facility.

• Over 2,200 people utilize the Towner County Medical Center annually for medical services, and the upgraded Emergency System and easier access to the Trauma/Emergency Room and other parts of the extensive facility have been enhanced with grants. Recent grants include partial funding to purchase new cardiac equipment, a matching grant for the purchase of a new radiology suite, funding as an incentive for wellness evaluations for people using the Towner County Medical Center Wellness Center at the facility, and funding for the purchase of a bariatric therapy table to be used by the Physical Therapy Department in providing better services and decreasing overall facility costs. In 2015, a match grant provided partial funding for the purchase of new digital mammography equipment allowing the facility to provide quality digital mammography services to the community and surrounding area in a more regular and convenient manner. In Spring of 2017, a grant provided partial funding for the purchase of new equipment for the Towner County Medical Center Wellness Center. The 2017 grants awarded in the Fall to the Towner County Medical Center (TCMC) and the TCMC Nurse's Fund provided partial funding for the purchase of a new trauma stretcher for the Emergency Room, which has x-ray capabilities, allowing imaging to be performed without moving the patient, a vitally important point for those with potential spinal injuries. In the Spring of 2018, a match grant provided funding to purchase two cardiac teaching mannequins for ACLS and CPR training, which improved performance during training by monitoring depth of adequate chest compression and release. This enhanced training impacted all of Towner County and those who visit the area needing this vital medical assistance. In the Fall of 2018, a grant award provided funding for an upgraded Telemetry System, and in 2019, the grant award provided funding for the purchase of a Bariatric/Geriatric exam table. The Spring, 2020 grants included funding for the purchase of a new Hoyer Lift with a sling to assist patients who have trouble standing, as a self-contained sling for patients that are non-ambulatory, and to ensure that the nursing staff is not injured when assisting patients with these needs. The second grant included partial funding to purchase new playground equipment for the Cando Community Child Care Center, located at the Towner County Medical Center, replacing the old, unsafe equipment with large play structures for ages 6 months to 5 years.

• The UFFDA Fund for Animals has received annual grants beginning in 2010 to help with the spay/neuter, vaccinations and re-homing services which affect on average, 200 dogs and cats annually in the Towner County area.