NEWS
RELEASE
United States Department
of Agriculture • Rural Development
3001 Coolidge Rd. • 2nd Floor North • Suite 200 • East Lansing, MI 48823
Phone: (517) 324-5204 • Fax: (517) 324-5225 •
alec.lloyd@mi.usda.gov
Contact: Alec Lloyd (517) 324-5204
KEWEENAW MOUNTAIN LODGE RECEIVES $1.4 MILLION IN USDA LOANS AND GRANTS
East Lansing, May 30, 2007 – USDA Rural Development Director for Michigan Gene DeRossett today presented a $1,403,000 ceremonial check to Keweenaw County for improvements to the Keweenaw Mountain Lodge.
“We have a strong partnership with Keweenaw residents and this is another example of how we are working to help the community,” DeRossett said. “This upgraded facility will provide a new place for people to come together.”
The money consists of a $1,393,000 loan and a $10,000 grant to allow for year-round operation of the lodge. It will also help pay for the construction of a new community center, giving the facility even more flexibility and options for use. The remaining $1,754,000 cost of the project is provided by the federal Economic Development Administration.
The event is part of a series of ceremonies commemorating more than $12.9 million in grants and loans for communities across the Upper Peninsula.
USDA Rural Development’s mission is to deliver programs in a way that will support increasing economic opportunity and improve the quality of life of rural residents. Rural Development has invested more than $76.8 billion since the beginning of the Bush Administration to provide equity and technical assistance to finance and foster growth in homeownership, business development, and critical community and technology infrastructure. As a result, more than 1.5 million jobs have been created or saved through these investments. Further information on rural programs is available at a local USDA Rural Development office or by visiting USDA’s web site at http://www.rurdev.usda.gov.
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