From Unified Basketball to the Saline Fiddlers, Saline CARES

The latest round of CARES funding in Saline is definitely going toward some worthwhile projects. At their December 9 meeting, the Saline Area Schools Board of Education approved the 2025/26 Round I distribution of CARES Discretionary Funds in the amount of $73,239.60.

The list of projects were recommended by the CARES Advisory Council and submitted by Brian Puffer, Saline’s Director of Community Education.

The breakdown is as follows:

• Saline Unified Basketball: $4,000
• New Outboard Engine (SHS Rowing Team): $2,664
• Memory Kits for our Friends (Dementia Friendly Saline): $5,050
• Saline Middle School Wrestling Room Mats: $15,000
• New Drumline Equipment (SHS Marching Band): $15,000
• Saline Lacrosse Unity Project: $10,150
• Saline Recreation Center Lobby Enhancement: $11,950.00
• Saline High School Girls Soccer Uniforms: $5,000
• Saline Fiddlers Performance Uniforms: $4,425,60

The funding comes from the CARES Recreation Millage, which was established to provide funding for recreation programs and facilities that enhance the life of residents within the Saline Area School District community.

In November 2017, voters passed the CARES Recreation Millage for 0.5 mills for 10 years. The millage will provide annual funding for five specific programs and also create a Discretionary Fund which may be allocated annually through a grant process to meet additional recreation needs. The Discretionary Funds may be granted to any worthwhile projects that enhance the quality of life in the Saline Community through new or expanded programs and/or facilities for the Cultural Arts, Recreation, Enrichment, and Senior Citizens.

Here’s a look at a few of the latest projects to receive funding:

The purpose of the Saline Unified grant is to purchase new jerseys for the Unified Basketball team.

The Dementia Friendly Saline grant will provide, on a lending basis, a series of Memory Kit Packages containing selected memorabilia type items that will evoke enjoyable distant memories and stimulate pleasant exchanges for persons living with dementia and their care partners.

The grant for the marching band will allow the band to finish purchasing their new drumline equipment.

The recreation center grant will go toward helping to restore the Saline Recreation Center’s first floor lobby as a welcoming community gathering space by purchasing new furniture to replace what was removed during the pandemic.

Photo: Unified Basketball will get some jerseys. Here’s one of Saline’s Unified Basketball teams. Courtesy of Saline Video on YouTube