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Gulfport Energy Fund Announces Ten Grant Recipients throughout Appalachian Ohio


Nelsonville, OH
The Gulfport Energy Fund at the Foundation for Appalachian Ohio has announced its first 2015 grant recipients. During this first round, the Gulfport Energy Fund awarded nearly $35,000 to ten projects throughout Belmont, Guernsey, Harrison, and Monroe counties.

“We are proud to invest in educational opportunities through the Gulfport Energy Fund,” said Gulfport Energy President and CEO Mike Moore. “Investing in the communities where we operate is a hallmark of our work and we appreciate the opportunity to support the efforts of these dedicated educators.”

The Gulfport Energy Fund was created to support projects that create opportunities by improving quality of life, creating access to opportunities, or identifying and implementing a solution for a community need or issue in the counties where Gulfport operates. Tax-exempt organizations from Belmont, Guernsey, Harrison, and Monroe counties are eligible to apply for these grants.

Recent recipients include:

UA Local 495’s Joint Apprenticeship Training Committee received a $1,500 grant award for the Plumbers and Pipefitters Accelerated Welding Program. This project, designed to meet increasing demand for qualified pipe fitters, will rapidly train 16 new students in the basics of pipefitting and welding in all four counties served by the Gulfport Energy Fund.

Belmont College received a $4,365 grant award to update its Soil Mechanics Lab through the purchase of new soil test equipment.

Bellaire Local School District received a $2,500 grant award to support the Building Bridges program. A collaborative effort between five Belmont County school districts and Belmont County Student Services, Building Bridges is a program designed to raise achievement and improve academic success for high school students, especially those in 9th grade.

Union Local Middle School in Belmont County received a $5,000 grant award for a 21st Century Classroom Renovation. The award will be used to purchase 30 Google Chromebooks as well as technological work tables for 110 students in the school.

Brook Intermediate School, part of Rolling Hills Local School District in Guernsey County, received a $2,000 grant award. This award will support the purchase of the “We Do” Classroom Pack, which includes a story starter Lego pack.

Cambridge City Schools in Guernsey County received a $4,500 grant. The award will support COSI on Wheels for 982 students in kindergarten through fifth grades at all three elementary schools in the Cambridge City School District.

Cambridge Middle School, also in Guernsey County, received a grant award to fund the purchase of Google Chromebooks to “Make Math Fun.” The $5,000 grant award will facilitate project-based middle school math instruction, providing students the opportunity to apply math principles to real-world situations and projects.

Energy is Elementary, part of the Ohio Energy Project, received a $2,805 grant award. Energy is Elementary provides professional development and classroom resources for primary school educators in Harrison County to teach their students about energy.

A $5,000 grant was awarded to the Monroe County Board of Developmental Disabilities. The award will support the renovation of the MACO Workshop, the Board’s adult vocational training facility that serves 100 adults and teenagers.

Woodsfield Elementary School, part of the Switzerland of Ohio School District in Monroe County, received a $2,090 grant award to encourage academic proficiency through technology. This project will provide iPads to the sixth grade classroom to allow for increased project-based learning opportunities.

For more information about the Gulfport Energy Fund and how you can support local grantmaking endeavors, please visit www.AppalachianOhio.org or call 740.753.1111.

About Gulfport Energy:

Gulfport Energy Corporation is an Oklahoma City-based independent oil and natural gas exploration and production company with its principal producing properties located in the Utica Shale of Eastern Ohio and along the Louisiana Gulf Coast. In addition, Gulfport holds a sizeable acreage position in the Alberta Oil Sands in Canada through its 25% interest in Grizzly Oil Sands ULC and has an equity interest in Diamondback Energy, Inc., a NASDAQ Global Select Market listed company.

About the Foundation for Appalachian Ohio

The Foundation for Appalachian Ohio (FAO) is a regional community foundation serving the 32 counties of Appalachian Ohio. A 501(c)(3) public charity, the Foundation creates opportunities for Appalachian Ohio’s citizens and communities by inspiring and supporting philanthropy. For more information about FAO, visit www.AppalachianOhio.org.

About the Guernsey County Foundation

The Guernsey County Foundation receives contributions and bequests of all sizes from individuals to assist in the funding of projects and charitable organizations. Through this unique collaboration with the Foundation for Appalachian Ohio, the Guernsey County Foundation extends its philanthropic efforts throughout our community. More information can be found at www.guernseycountyfoundation.org or www.AppalachianOhio.org.

About the Harrison County Community Foundation (HCCF)

Created by anonymous donors interested in having a local source for giving back to Harrison County, HCCF is guided by a local advisory committee, and managed and supported by the Foundation for Appalachian Ohio. More information can be found at www.AppalachianOhio.org.

About the Monroe County Community Foundation

The Monroe County Community Foundation was created so that the Monroe County community would have a place to come together and grow a powerful asset for the county and its residents for many future generations. The Monroe County Community Foundation is a local foundation, created in partnership with the Foundation for Appalachian Ohio, and is designed to grow resources that can be used to support current and future needs and develop new opportunities.