Newton, IL – March 7, 2023 – Apex Clean Energy and Violet Solar have awarded the first round
of grants within Jasper County as part of the Violet Solar Community Grant Program. The grant
program is one way that Apex contributes to pressing community needs and strives to make a
meaningful impact at the local level. These funds are allocated to support programs that serve
Jasper County through economic development, environmental sustainability, education, and
health and recreation. During this cycle, grant funds were distributed to the Jasper County
Chamber of Commerce and Jasper County Boys and Girls Park in the amounts of $2,000 and
$3,000, respectively.
The Jasper County Chamber of Commerce works to build better business relationships and
bring economic investment to the county. The grant funds will go toward the annual Fall
Festival, for which Apex will sponsor the musical entertainment.
“These funds will help provide more activities for the whole community,” said Sarah Diel
Kinkade, the chamber’s director. “It also helps us bring new folks into the festival, increase
attendance, and share the tradition of fun we have with this long-running event.”
Jasper County Boys and Girls Park provides a safe, fun, and appropriately competitive
environment for playing baseball and softball. The park’s objective is to instill values of
sportsmanship, honesty, loyalty, and courage in children in the community—and inspire them to
become decent, healthy, and trustworthy adults. The grant funds will go toward the building of
an open-air pavilion in the park for families and community members to use year-round.
“This grant will get us a significant way toward finishing the pavilion,” said board member Grant
White. “We really appreciate the funding for something that will be a great amenity for the
community. We hope to partner with Apex and Violet Solar on future projects as well.”
“We’re thrilled to support these organizations that make a real impact in the lives of residents
here in Jasper County,” said Violet Solar field manager Josh Hartke, who launched the grant
program. “Having grown up in the area and attended the Fall Festival many times, I’m
personally excited to help make that event happen.”
The goal of the Violet Solar Community Grant Program is to fund projects and programs that
build healthy communities. Violet Solar will award up to $5,000 in grant funds on a quarterly
basis. If you are interested in applying for future rounds of funding, please
visit www.violetsolarpower.com/grant.
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About Apex Clean Energy
Apex Clean Energy was founded with a singular focus: to accelerate the shift to clean energy.
Through origination, construction, and operation of utility-scale wind, solar, and storage
facilities, distributed energy resources, and green fuel technologies, Apex is expanding the
renewable frontier across North America. Our mission-driven team of more than 400
professionals uses a data-focused approach and an unrivaled portfolio of projects to create
solutions for the world’s most innovative and forward-thinking customers. For more information
about how Apex is building the energy company of the future, visit apexcleanenergy.com
About Violet Solar
Violet Solar is a proposed 150-megawatt solar energy farm in Jasper County, Illinois. With
dozens of leased landowners representing over two thousand signed acres, the project will be
located in the western half of the county, south of Route 33 and north of the Newton Power
Station. Learn more at www.violetsolarpower.com.
