Legacy Foundation's March Mania – A Friendly Tournament of Community Projects!
Legacy Foundation invited Lake County nonprofit organizations and public schools to submit a project proposal that impacts Lake County in a positive way. The top 8 projects make up this bracket. It is up to you to decide which organization will become the 2017 March Mania champion and receive $2,000 to implement its submitted project.
To view project descriptions, please click on the organization and project title shown below each photo.
Thank you for voting!
Be sure to follow us on social media for contest updates and come back to vote for your favorite project during the next round!
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/legacyfdn/
Twitter: https://twitter.com/legacyfdn
| Round | Number of Participants | Open Date | Close Date |
| First Round | 8 | Friday, March 10, 2017 11:00 AM CST | Friday, March 17, 2017 11:00 AM CST |
| Semi Finals | 4 | Friday, March 17, 2017 11:00 AM CST | Friday, March 24, 2017 11:00 AM CST |
| Finals | 2 | Friday, March 24, 2017 11:00 AM CST | Friday, March 31, 2017 11:00 AM CST |
Round 1 | Matchup 1 of 4
Decay Devils: SuperSize Me: Interactive CommUnity Fun Nite
SuperSize Me: Interactive CommUnity Fun Nite
Decay Devils
Popular board games will be scaled to giant, life-size replicas that will be used for mobile networking events and CommUnity Fun Nights held throughout Lake County communities. These events will focus on cognitive skills as: reading, logical reasoning, spelling, value of cooperation, sharing, finance, or trading. Popular games included will be: Monopoly, Scrabble, Jenga, Chess, Checkers, Clue, Sorry, and Uno.
Sharing with the Sheep, Inc: Beautifying the Block (BTB)
Beautifying the Block (BTB)
Sharing with the Sheep, Inc.
This project will involve cutting the lawn, trimming bushes, paining porches, placing mulch around the trees, and replacing lights with LED bulbs for the neighbors in the 4500 Block of Harrison. Additionally, this project will promote community pride on the block and set a precedence for the greater Gary community through the Federation of Block Clubs.
Winner
Pets N Vets Program
Dunes Dog Training Clubs
To help local U.S. Military Veterans with PTSD, TBI, and other emotional issues obedience train their own dogs to become better companions, emotional support animals, therapy dogs, and/or service dogs so they have a 'battle buddy' in life to love and care for, instead of focusing on their own issues.
Round 1 | Matchup 2 of 4
Association for the Wolf Lake Initiative: Save the Mudpuppy Campaign
Save the Mudpuppy Campaign
Association for the Wolf Lake Inititative
Educational campaign to alert Lake County's fishermen about the need to protect the mudpuppy. Posters and other literature will be created about the once-abundant mudpuppy's importance in a healthy ecosystem and their decline in population throughout the region. Fishermen will be advised to release mudpuppies back into the water. Email lists of local fishermen will be compiled for updates and sharing.
United Urban Network: Connecting Gary Communities to Nature
Connecting Gary Communities to Nature
United Urban Network
UUN, Inc., The Field Museum, and Shirley Heinze Land Trust will connect families to nature at Ivanhoe South preserve through guided hikes, clean-up events, and nature discovery in the dune and swale of NWI. Families will celebrate heritage, learn ecology, and discover the joy of outdoor stewardship.
Winner
Pets N Vets Program
Dunes Dog Training Clubs
To help local U.S. Military Veterans with PTSD, TBI, and other emotional issues obedience train their own dogs to become better companions, emotional support animals, therapy dogs, and/or service dogs so they have a 'battle buddy' in life to love and care for, instead of focusing on their own issues.
Round 1 | Matchup 3 of 4
Dunes Dog Training Club: Pets N Vets Program
Pets N Vets Program
Dunes Dog Training Clubs
To help local U.S. Military Veterans with PTSD, TBI, and other emotional issues obedience train their own dogs to become better companions, emotional support animals, therapy dogs, and/or service dogs so they have a 'battle buddy' in life to love and care for, instead of focusing on their own issues.
The Blind Social Center: Talking Wayfinding Signage Expansion
Talking Wayfinding Signage Expansion
The Blind Social Center
To install talking wayfinding signage for the visually impaired on Broadway GPTC bus stops in Gary, Merrillville, and Crown Point. These units will describe the amenities present at the location and be activated by wrist units and/or a phone app. This will allow visually impaired to use public transportation and facilitate inclusion of a socially disadvantage sector of the population.
Winner
Pets N Vets Program
Dunes Dog Training Clubs
To help local U.S. Military Veterans with PTSD, TBI, and other emotional issues obedience train their own dogs to become better companions, emotional support animals, therapy dogs, and/or service dogs so they have a 'battle buddy' in life to love and care for, instead of focusing on their own issues.
Round 1 | Matchup 4 of 4
NWI Excellence in Theatre Foundation: Park Plays
Park Plays
NWI Excellence in Theatre Foundation
NIETF member community theatre groups will present free public showcases of plays, musicals, revues, or improve (like concerts in the park series) at various parks throughout Lake County over the course of the summer evenings. This will bring theatre to new audiences and allow guests to experience the symbiotic nature of arts and environment.
Cedar Lake Historical Association: Children's History Exhibits
Children's History Exhibits
Cedar Lake Historical Association
This project will offer children and their families a hands-on environment to learn local history through imaginative play. Exhibits will be installed which highlight the rich history of Cedar Lake and NWI. The four areas of focus will be the Potawatomi Indians, Monon Railroad, ice harvesting on Cedar Lake, and Lassen's "Dewey Line" steamboats that transported Monon passengers across Cedar Lake.
Winner
Pets N Vets Program
Dunes Dog Training Clubs
To help local U.S. Military Veterans with PTSD, TBI, and other emotional issues obedience train their own dogs to become better companions, emotional support animals, therapy dogs, and/or service dogs so they have a 'battle buddy' in life to love and care for, instead of focusing on their own issues.
Semi-Finals | Matchup 1 of 2
Decay Devils: SuperSize Me: Interactive CommUnity Fun Nite
SuperSize Me: Interactive CommUnity Fun Nite
Decay Devils
Popular board games will be scaled to giant, life-size replicas that will be used for mobile networking events and CommUnity Fun Nights held throughout Lake County communities. These events will focus on cognitive skills as: reading, logical reasoning, spelling, value of cooperation, sharing, finance, or trading. Popular games included will be: Monopoly, Scrabble, Jenga, Chess, Checkers, Clue, Sorry, and Uno.
United Urban Network: Connecting Gary Communities to Nature
Connecting Gary Communities to Nature
United Urban Network
UUN, Inc., The Field Museum, and Shirley Heinze Land Trust will connect families to nature at Ivanhoe South preserve through guided hikes, clean-up events, and nature discovery in the dune and swale of NWI. Families will celebrate heritage, learn ecology, and discover the joy of outdoor stewardship.
Winner
Pets N Vets Program
Dunes Dog Training Clubs
To help local U.S. Military Veterans with PTSD, TBI, and other emotional issues obedience train their own dogs to become better companions, emotional support animals, therapy dogs, and/or service dogs so they have a 'battle buddy' in life to love and care for, instead of focusing on their own issues.
Semi-Finals | Matchup 2 of 2
Dunes Dog Training Club: Pets N Vets Program
Pets N Vets Program
Dunes Dog Training Clubs
To help local U.S. Military Veterans with PTSD, TBI, and other emotional issues obedience train their own dogs to become better companions, emotional support animals, therapy dogs, and/or service dogs so they have a 'battle buddy' in life to love and care for, instead of focusing on their own issues.
Cedar Lake Historical Association: Children's History Exhibits
Children's History Exhibits
Cedar Lake Historical Association
This project will offer children and their families a hands-on environment to learn local history through imaginative play. Exhibits will be installed which highlight the rich history of Cedar Lake and NWI. The four areas of focus will be the Potawatomi Indians, Monon Railroad, ice harvesting on Cedar Lake, and Lassen's "Dewey Line" steamboats that transported Monon passengers across Cedar Lake.
Winner
Pets N Vets Program
Dunes Dog Training Clubs
To help local U.S. Military Veterans with PTSD, TBI, and other emotional issues obedience train their own dogs to become better companions, emotional support animals, therapy dogs, and/or service dogs so they have a 'battle buddy' in life to love and care for, instead of focusing on their own issues.
Championship | Matchup 1 of 1
United Urban Network: Connecting Gary Communities to Nature
Connecting Gary Communities to Nature
United Urban Network
UUN, Inc., The Field Museum, and Shirley Heinze Land Trust will connect families to nature at Ivanhoe South preserve through guided hikes, clean-up events, and nature discovery in the dune and swale of NWI. Families will celebrate heritage, learn ecology, and discover the joy of outdoor stewardship.
Dunes Dog Training Club: Pets N Vets Program
Pets N Vets Program
Dunes Dog Training Clubs
To help local U.S. Military Veterans with PTSD, TBI, and other emotional issues obedience train their own dogs to become better companions, emotional support animals, therapy dogs, and/or service dogs so they have a 'battle buddy' in life to love and care for, instead of focusing on their own issues.
Winner
Pets N Vets Program
Dunes Dog Training Clubs
To help local U.S. Military Veterans with PTSD, TBI, and other emotional issues obedience train their own dogs to become better companions, emotional support animals, therapy dogs, and/or service dogs so they have a 'battle buddy' in life to love and care for, instead of focusing on their own issues.