The fundraising efforts for the “Let’s Connect” project are receiving a big boost, after Prairie Meadows Casino recently announced it was awarding a $100,000 Legacy Grant to Dallas County Conservation.

The money puts the connector trail project well over 50% of the way to the $5 million funding goal, and construction has already begun and is progressing well. Conservation Director Mike Wallace was thankful to Prairie Meadows for their contribution, as he finds often times a grant of this size can be used to leverage additional funding from other sources. The goal of the project is to bridge the nine-mile gap between the Raccoon River Valley Trail in Perry and the High Trestle Trail in Woodward.

There were 16 Legacy Grants given this year, as well as several smaller Community Betterment Grants, for a total of $5 million in total funds awarded, a record for the casino. The Dallas County Board of Supervisors submitted the grant proposal on the Conservation Department’s behalf back in January.