Montcalm Community College recently received a $1,500 mini-grant to help fund its survival swim program for fourth-grade students at Central Montcalm Upper Elementary School.
 

MCC’s award is one of 18 recently given by the MEEMIC Foundation, a division of MEEMIC Insurance Company. The Foundation annually awards $50,000 through its mini-grant program.
 

MEEMIC Foundation Administrator Kristy Mitchell said MCC’s proposal was among the 18 chosen from 436 applicants because of its broad scope and commitment to community education.
 

The eight-week survival swim program brings about 150 students to the college to learn safety skills in and around the water. The program is coordinated by MCC Recreation Program Coordinator Chris Stander, who also submitted the grant application.
 

“We have a lot of lakes in the area, and we wanted to continue to offer this training as a service to our community,” Stander said. “With tight school budgets, we felt it was an opportunity to help alleviate some funding pressure and ensure the program would continue.”