20101204 peninsula response to board 1201 questions - description of ad astra program
1. TO: Patrick Martin, Executive Director Kansas Racing and Gaming Commission
FROM: Kathy Damron, Strategic Communications of Kansas
RE: Peninsula Gaming’s Kansas All Star Ad Astra Scholarship Program
DATE: December 3, 2010
The Kansas All Star Scholarship Program would be supported by $1.5 million in annual funding
from the Kansas Star Casino, Hotel and Event Center proposed by Peninsula Gaming Partners.
This Ad Astra fund would be created to support education throughout Sumner County
immediately upon opening of the facility.
The program would be governed by a local, five-member board and its first Chair will be Jill
Docking, former Chair of the Kansas Board of Regents and lifelong education advocate. The Ad
Astra Board would be comprised of local business leaders, K-12 education leaders and
recognized leaders from the state’s higher education community and would be appointed with
the consultation of school officials and other elected officials in the area. Their primary mission
will be to oversee the distribution of funds to parents, students and teachers within the school
districts in Sumner County and Mulvane, Kansas. In addition, all policies surrounding the fund
and the program will be under the jurisdiction of this board, drawing upon the guidance and
expertise of area education leaders and officials.
The $1.5 million fund would be allocated in three primary elements as follows:
A $100 voucher for each student enrolled in K-12 in Sumner County and Mulvane school
districts will be given to families to help cover back to school costs.
Classroom teachers in Sumner County and Mulvane school districts will receive $500
each year to help offset costs of teaching materials and classroom supplies.
Every graduating high school senior from Sumner County and Mulvane school districts
will be eligible for a $1,000 scholarship to be used for their post-secondary education.
Any remaining dollars from the $1.5 million Ad Astra fund not used for the three purposes
described above may be directed to the Sumner County General Use Fund.
The eligible school districts are Mulvane U.S.D. 263, Wellington U.S.D. 353, Conway Springs
U.S.D. 356, Belle Plaine U.S.D. 357, Oxford U.S.D. 359, Argonia U.S.D. 359, Caldwell U.S.D.
360 and South Haven U.S.D. 509. Based on current enrollments of 472 high school seniors;
6,082 students enrolled in grades K-12 and 538 classroom teachers the $1.5 million fund would
exceed the anticipate costs of the program.
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3. R ACI N G AND GA M I N G COM M I S S I O N
R ACI N G AND GA M I N G COM M I S S I O N
R ACI N G AND GA M I N G COM M I S S I O N
R ACI N G AND GA M I N G COM M I S S I O N
R ACI N G AND GA M I N G COM M I S S I O N
6. Our casinos have distributed more than $27 million to
our non-profit co-licensees:
Dubuque Racing Association
Worth County Development Authority
This funding provides help for underserved youth and
seniors, scholarships for students and teachers and
community projects like workforce development and
economic growth initiatives.
7. In addition to distributions to our non-profit partners, we have
given $10,688,715 in cash and in-kind contributions to 1,444
charitable causes since 2006 including:
Habitat for Humanity American Legion
Iowa Firemen’s Association Veterans We Care
Special Olympics Bellevue Parade Victim’s Fund
Cystic Fibrosis Foundation Big Brother Big Sister
Dubuque Museum of Art Boy Scouts of America
American Cancer Society Sustainable Dubuque
Toys for Tots Worth County Historical Society
Alzheimer’s Association Louisiana 4H Foundation
8. Since 2006, Peninsula Gaming team members have volunteered
over 100,000 hours of their time for 356 organizations including :
American Cancer Society Maria House
American Heart Association March of Dimes
American Red Cross Ronald McDonald House
Boys and Girls Club Salvation Army
Big Brother/Big Sister St. Jude's Hospital
Children’s Miracle Network Special Olympics
Habitat for Humanity United Way
Humane Society YMCA
9. Directors from Peninsula Gaming and its properties serve on 38
community and non-profit Boards including:
Mercy Hospital Foundation Northern Iowa Community College
American Heart Association Loras College
St Landry Chamber of Commerce City of Mason City - Recreation Dept
Dubuque Main St. LTD State Line Lake Preservation
Junior Achievement Lake Mills drug and alcohol task force
Rotary Club Multicultural Center
St Mary Parish Fema Board Boys and Girls Club
Dubuque Community School Board North Iowa Youth Center
