Foundation announces Utah grants

SALT LAKE CITY — Utah Power President Rich Walje has been elected as the new chairman of the PacifiCorp Foundation for Learning, the charitable arm of PacifiCorp, by the Foundation’s Board of Directors. The Foundation serves as the major channel of philanthropy for PacifiCorp, which operates as Utah Power and Pacific Power in the six states served by the electric utility. Based in Salt Lake City, Walje has served on the PacifiCorp Foundation’s Board of Directors for the past six years, and replaces outgoing Foundation chair Mike Pittman.

“I’m looking forward to continuing to be involved with PacifiCorp’s efforts to provide good works in the communities we serve, beyond the work that goes into providing safe and reliable electricity for our customers,” said Walje. “One of the best aspects of my job is being able to help address real needs in large and small communities across our service area by the support we are able to provide through the PacifiCorp Foundation for Learning and other corporate contributions.”

The Foundation awarded $66,500 to Utah non-profit groups in September, to help support community programs throughout the state. The grants are part of nearly $200,000 awarded this month for civic initiatives and small community capital projects across the electric utility’s six-state service area. The Foundation awards four cycles of grants annually in the areas of education, health and welfare, community and the arts. Since the Foundation was established in 1988, it has awarded more than 6,500 grants totaling more than $38.5 million to communities served by Utah Power and Pacific Power.

The largest single grant awarded by the PacifiCorp Foundation in September was a $25,000 contribution to the Greater Salt Lake Chapter American Red Cross for the chapter’s year-long “I Can Save a Life” first-aid and CPR training campaign. The Foundation also recently announced that it will match PacifiCorp employee contributions to Hurricane Katrina relief efforts through the American Red Cross and other emergency relief organizations, in addition to a $500,000 corporate contribution PacifiCorp is providing for hurricane relief efforts.

“The effects of Hurricane Katrina were devastating, and we want to do all that we can as a company and as individual employees to help. As an electric utility, we understand the importance of being well prepared to deal with emergency situations, whether it’s a natural disaster or an emergency effecting a family member, friend or co-worker,” said Walje. “We are pleased to join the Greater Salt Lake Chapter of the American Red Cross and other partners, through the PacifiCorp Foundation, in promoting this life-saving message of the importance of first-aid and CPR training.”

Other Utah organizations to receive PacifiCorp Foundation grants this month include:

Nature Conservancy of Utah (Salt Lake City) – Funding will help support and sustain a critical migratory link in the Pacific Flyway between North and South America, as a part of the Nature Conservancy’s Great Salt Lake project.

National Conference for Community and Justice – Utah (Salt Lake City) – Support for Youth Leadership Program, which utilizes camps Anytown, Unitown, Globaltown and Project L.E.A.D. to provide students with an opportunity to get to know and learn from people of diverse backgrounds.

Salt Lake Legal Aid Society– Funding will help cover legal costs for victims of domestic violence, which make up 98% of Salt Lake Legal Aid Society’s clients.

Swaner Nature Preserve (Park City) – Funding will help provide for a full-time Education and Land Manager to teach curriculum to visiting groups, recruit and train volunteers, develop and oversee restoration and research projects and more. 

Ogden Nature Center (Ogden) – Support for On-Site Nature Education Programs designed to teach school children about environmental stewardship, science and nature at the Center’s 152-acre wildlife sanctuary.

George S. Eccles Ice Center (North Logan) – Support for the School Outreach program, which involves professional coaches working with teachers to inspire and engage students in learning to ice skate, understanding the physical properties of ice-making and ice skating, and learning how to interpret and move to music creatively on ice.

The Youth Garden Project (Moab) – Support for life skills education for at-risk youth and juvenile offenders through organic gardening and community service projects.

Green River Community Center (Green River) – Support for the Reading Round Up 2006 summer program, which offers interactive literacy, art and recreation activities for youth ages 4 to 14.

Additionally, LaVerkin City was awarded a small community capital grant of $4,500 to help fund a cargo trailer for emergency supplies and training materials. 

About the PacifiCorp Foundation for Learning

The PacifiCorp Foundation for Learning  was created and incorporated as a corporate foundation in 1988 in order to become the major channel of philanthropy for PacifiCorp, Utah Power and Pacific Power. PacifiCorp and its employees have a long tradition of active involvement in the communities served by Utah Power, including charitable contributions, sponsorships of community events and in-kind donations. For additional information, visit www.pacificorpfoundation.org .