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Jun, 2017

AYSO awarded grant for soccer benches from Gratiot County Community Foundation

ARTICLE FROM THE GRATIOT COUNTY HERALD ON 6/8/17:
    AYSO 1163 applied for and received a matching grant from the Gratiot County Community Foundation's Clyde and Maude Mizer Memorial Fund for player soccer benches.
    In 2016, AYSO family and friends were able to raise the money and received the matching grant in 2017 to make this dream a reality.
    AYSO 1163 goal was to keep this project local from start to finish. The local fundraisers including a bake sale, Hearthstone Oven cookie dough, Apple Barrel Cider Mill fall treats.
    The aluminum benches were built by Ithaca Manufacturing Company, while the powder coat was completed by Powder Coat of Central Michigan and bench graphics by E&S Graphics.
    This project could not have been completed without the matching grant from Gratiot County Community Foundation along with many wonderful family and friends of AYSO.
    The American Youth Soccer Organization is the oldest national youth soccer program in the United States established in 1964. AYSO is a 100% volunteer organization. Gratiot County AYSO 1163 Soccer was established around 1999. This began with playing in front of Ithaca High School.
    With the growing popularity of soccer, the city of Ithaca, along with AYSO volunteers, developed soccer fields at McNabb Park. A few years later, with a grant from the GCCF, the city developed a 10-acre parcel adjacent to the existing soccer fields for barrier-free, handicapped accessible soccer fields.