Helping hand

Gary Grunow, Mt. Pleasant Parks and Recreation director, accepts a check for $1,600 from Justin Septer, Farm Credit Services of America (FCSA), regional vice president of the Iowa southeast region. The local parks and recreation department were the recipients this year of the FCSA?s Community Involvement program. Each year, FCSA makes a contribution to one of the communities in its service area. This is the first time Mt. Pleasant has received the contribution; the Mt. Pleasant FCSA serves seven counties. In addition to the donation, FCSA employees shingled the bathroom building by the McCoid Shelter in East Lake Park, painted the inside of the bathroom and the exterior fence by the bathroom. Grunow said the money would be put in the department?s escrow fund. In 2014, FCSA employees worked more than 6,100 hours to benefit local communities. FCSA also provided more than $2.3 million to local programs and organizations.