ChildServe has received a $12,000 grant from Prairie Meadows Racetrack and Casino through its 2009 Community Betterment Grant Program. Grant funds will help to enhance ChildServe's pediatric therapy services, including physical therapy, occupational therapy, and speech-language pathology. “We are extremely pleased to have received this funding from Prairie Meadows this year,” said Tracey Page, Director of Rehabilitation and Developmental Therapy at ChildServe. “These funds will help ensure that we have the supplies and equipment to provide extraordinary, life-enhancing therapies for children with special health care needs.”

The Prairie Meadows Grants Advisory Committee, comprised of community, business and education leaders from the greater Des Moines area, review all grant requests and recommend funding levels.  Recommendations are then presented to the Prairie Meadows Board of Directors for review and approval.  Prairie Meadows Community Betterment Grants are given to projects in one of four categories: Arts & Culture, Economic Development, Education, and Human Services. 

Members of the Prairie Meadows Grants Advisory Committee include: Dr. Mary Chapman, Dr. Jerry Deegan, Dr. Thomas Glenn, Linda Grandquist, Chaunci Hall, Mike Mathews, Dr. Andy McGuire, Ron Morden, Sunnie Richer, Loretta Sieman, Brad Skinner, John P. Smith, Ginny Strong, Don Timmins, Jodi Urich, Karrie Weinhardt, Martha Willits, and Tom Whitney.

Prairie Meadows recently achieved a milestone in giving more than $1 billion through taxes, grants and charitable donations to the State of Iowa.  More than $435 million of that figure has remained right here in our community to promote education, economic development, agriculture, jobs and tourism.  Prairie Meadows stands alone in its charitable giving by returning 43% of its revenues back to the community, and continues to work towards improving the quality of life for every Iowan, every day.