If you’re wondering where all the money from the Community Choice Awards is going we have you covered! In the Community Foundation’s inaugural year of the Community Choice Awards, five local nonprofit organizations in Herkimer and Oneida counties ended up having a great day Wednesday.

"We were hopeful,” said Andrea Heath Executive Director of the Utica Zoo, who ended up with a $10,000 check Wednesday morning. “We were all on pins and needles today, it's exciting."

The money came from local donors, which funded a total of $50,000. With more than 70 applicants throughout both of the counties, the competition was stiff. However, a list was narrowed down by the Community Foundation of 15 finalists. From that list, over 14,000 votes were casted by local residents on the best nonprofits in the area.

John Swann Executive Vice President of the Community Foundation reinforced Wednesday what these nonprofit organizations are all about.

"To really call attention to what they do, all the good that they do in the community,” said Swann. ‘That is really the real reason for the bus and the balloons and the hoopla."

The Utica Zoo plans on using their $10,000 to finish construction of the new primate building, which they plan on hosting numerous educational activities for kids.

"Were actually attaching a really cool program with it call kids having fun with math, monkeys, and matching gifts,” said Heath. “It going to be great and were going to teach the kids how to give back to the community.”

The fun did not stop in Utica, as the next surprise was at the Kirkland Town Library. Which had library director Anne Debraggio fired up.

"This is just a validation that libraries are doing it right and that people love their libraries and they’re going to go out and vote for them,” said Debreaggio.

The Kirkland Town Library plans on splitting this money up with 32 libraries across the two countries, which are all apart of the Mid-York Library System.

The other three nonprofit organizations included the Rome Capitol Art Complex, Mother Marianne’s West Side Kitchen in Utica, and Spring Farm CARES.