COLUMBIANA — In the lead up to America’s 250th anniversary, the City of Columbiana announced it received a grant from the America 250-Ohio Commission for its upcoming project titled, “The Garden of Eatin.”

The Garden of Eatin’ will be an inclusive community space offering art, entertainment, dining, leisure, and an atmosphere for small business growth on Main Street.

“The Garden of Eatin’ project created by the Columbiana High School creative entrepreneurship class is going to be a landmark in our community for generations to come. We appreciate America 250-Ohio for recognizing the next generation of citizens in our community by awarding this grant to help the City of Columbiana celebrate the 250th anniversary of the founding of the United States through this community project,” said Lance Willard, Columbiana city manager.

In total, grants of up to $5,000 each to 57 organizations across the state of Ohio, for a total of $278,834. These grants are dedicated to funding programs and initiatives commemorating COhio’s important contribution to American history. The grants are administered by Ohio Humanities.

In order to qualify for the grants, applicants needed to either be designated an official “America 250-Ohio Community,” and/or have a letter of support from that local government entity. These community-focused grants are aimed at helping local communities plan, organize and implement a program or event that aligns with America 250-Ohio initiatives in two broad categories: Storytelling and Education (Next Generation Citizens).

“On behalf of the America 250-Ohio commission, we congratulate the City of Columbiana on this grant award for their rich contributions to Ohio’s history and significance in our nation,” said Doug Preisse, co-chair of the America 250-Ohio Commission. “This new round of grants will help the City of Columbiana to discover new and exciting ways to celebrate our state’s role within the founding of our country.”