QUINCY — Twenty nonprofit organizations in Quincy got a surprise Thursday evening, as Microsoft passed out checks for $10,000 each to further their work. 

“It couldn’t have come at a better time, because our big heritage barn is in terrible need of repainting,” said Quincy Valley Historical Society and Museum Director Harriet Weber. “That’s a big, big job.” 

The giant ceremonial checks were presented at the B Street Bash, a street party Microsoft sponsored to celebrate the 20th anniversary of the groundbreaking for its data center in Quincy. Representatives of the organizations, with faces registering varying degrees of shock, came forward at the party as Lisa Karstetter, a senior manager with Microsoft who is also a longtime Quincy resident, called out their names one by one. 

None of the recipients were warned in advance, Karstetter said. 

“I kept it a surprise when I invited them,” she said. “I just said, ‘We’re having our B Street Party, and it wouldn’t be the same without your organization there. We’re going to be presenting something at six that I think would be a great surprise for you to see. Please tell me if you can come.’ But I didn’t tell them what they were getting.” 

Debby Kooy, manager of the George Community Center, wasn’t at the B Street Bash and only learned that her organization had been gifted after the fact. 

“I learned about it on Facebook,” she said. “Fortunately, one of our board members attended the event, so she accepted the check for the Community Hall. She sent me the picture to post this morning.” 

The gift was timely for the George Community Center as well, Kooy said. 

“We can certainly use it,” she said. “We had to do some major work on our outdoor stage. We’ve done it in phases. We tried to get a grant last year, but having to pay out of pocket to put a new cover on our stage, and then this year we had to redo all the electrical.” 

The money will be distributed in mid-June to the various organizations through the Columbia Basin Foundation, which administers Microsoft's charitable giving in the area. The Foundation also received a $10,000 gift from Microsoft, said Executive Director Corinne Isaak. 

The B Street Bash, and the donations, were put together in a very short time, Karstetter said. Microsoft President Brad Smith paid a visit to Quincy in April and met with local Microsoft employees then toured the high school and the hospital that had been built with data center property taxes and finished by meeting with community and business leaders.

He was so impressed, she said, that his staff suggested a 20-year anniversary celebration. That left just about a month to plan, Karstetter said, and also to select 20 nonprofits. 

“I wanted to make sure I hit (certain) areas: seniors, veterans, youth, music,” she said. “Everybody there is very deserving, and I know that that money will go out and serve the good of the whole area.” 

“We were really humbled and overwhelmed,” Weber said. “It was amazing.” 

See tomorrow’s Columbia Basin Herald for coverage of the B Street Bash. 

These organizations each received $10,000 from Microsoft on Thursday: 

GCPUD/Share the Light 

Quincy Chamber of Commerce  

Veterans Operation Creation 

Quincy Valley Lions Club 

Quincy Valley Historical Society & Museum 

Quincy Valley Allied Arts 

Quincy Future Farmers of America 

George Community Hall/Foundation 

Quincy Valley Hospital Foundation  

Columbia Basin Foundation 

Big Bend Community College Foundation 

WA State Promotores of Grant County  

Quincy Rotary Club 

Apple Stem  

98848 Vision Prosperity Fund  

Quincy Special Olympics/ Quincy United 

Quincy Booster Club - Music/Band/Theatre Program 

Quincy Partnership for Youth 

Quincy Senior Center  

Rooted in Quincy 

Serve Quincy Valley