DRA awards local grants

     The Dubuque Racing Association (DRA) announced grant awards totaling $1,220,630.71 to 145 area charitable organizations.

     The grants awarded ranged from $1,000 to $25,000. The average grant award was $6,976.27, with 28 organizations receiving full funding for their projects. Thirty-six schools, or school districts, received $379,455, or 31 percent, of the grant money.

     The DRA distributes funds from its operation annually. The DRA has been a vital part of the community since its inception in 1985. The DRA is operated by a volunteer board comprised of 21 directors who work together to guide operations at Q Casino. The DRA holds the license for casino-gaming operations of Q, and is the co-licensee for the Diamond Jo Casino.

     Organizations in Monticello and the Monticello area received the following grants:

     • Camp Courageous of Iowa, $15,000 for the installation of a new roof and solar panels on the Camp Courageous Multipurpose Building

     • Monticello High School, $2,500 for the Library Production Lab

     • Monticello Middle School, $5,000 for Google Expeditions

     • Shannon Elementary School, $2,378.89 for PadCaster Video Production

     • City of Hopkinton EMS, $5,000 for an upgrade of the Hopkinton EMS PowerLOAD