BRISTOW, Okla. — A possible grant could make history for the Bristow Historical Society, and there’s a way people can help them win it.
The BHS has many projects down the pipeline, but this grant money would help them fix up a town square in the heart of Bristow, right along N. Main Street (a.k.a. Route 66).
The BHS has been raising money for about four years to preserve four landmarks along Route 66.
The company Kubota runs this Hometown Proud grant contest, which is “aimed at providing support across the country for local nonprofit organizations and their unique initiatives.”
Although Bristow already won $10,000 in the first stage, the overall regional winner will receive $50,000 in this ongoing stage.
“50,000 would help us tremendously,” BHS Program Director Joe Trigalet said about the grant.
The historical society’s yearly operating budget comes from membership fees and donations, with Trigalet saying it’s “about $15,000 a year, and with that, we pay insurance, our internet bill, and phone bill, and things like that.”
The BHS is headquartered in the old train depot-turned-museum (at 1 Railroad Pl.), just down the steps from the town square.
Route 66’s 100th birthday is just two years away, and the society wants to make sure the glass-roofed public space is in tip-top shape. They expect lots of road-trippers to make a pit stop in Bristow.
Trigalet said, “We need a lot of fix-up in here to make this a beautiful town square again.”
“The benches have had some wear and tear,” he pointed out. “These the sign boards that we have along the sides here need to be replaced, refurbished. We will replace those, we’ll put new stories on them -- we have family histories that go on. These will tell the story of Route 66 and the story of Bristow.”
However, he admitted they’re up against some tough competition in the Central region.
The other project—from Loranger, Louisiana—is a vocational-technical program that equips troubled youth with essential employment skills. The grant money would help them buy equipment and finish their building.
Trigalet said Loranger’s project is a noble one and wouldn’t be upset if they took the prize.
To help decide the winner in this contest, follow this link and vote. The deadline is the end of Wednesday, Aug. 14. People can vote once a day.
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