News
Trimble Schools, SE Ohio Habitat Biggest Winners of Rocky Grants
By: Susan Tebben
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Trimble Local Schools and local charity organizations were the recipients of the biggest awards from the Rocky Community Improvement Fund.
The Southeast Ohio chapter of Habitat for Humanity received the highest amount, $8,000, for their home repair pilot program that will be serving the communities of Nelsonville and Logan.
A holiday program to provide help to those in need with Christmas baskets was given the second-highest amount, at $5,000. The basket program is led by the York Twp. Volunteer Fire Department, who brings back the program annually.
“Without (the Rocky grant), we would not be able to do this program,” said York Twp. Fire Chief Scott McManus.
A $5,000 payout was given to Trimble Local Schools to address the need for textbooks and supplies, along with a 2016-2016 project.
An art education program and touring theater performance from Stuart’s Opera House received $3,600 and a weekend camp for Athens and Hocking County Youth hosted by Big Brothers/Big Sisters of Central Ohio was given $3,176.
Big Brother/Big Sisters of Athens was given $3,057 to benefit a 2016 Nelsonville Community Match Program, and Kids on Campus got $3,000 for camp meals in 2016. Local business incubator AceNet received $3,000 to improve healthy food access at the Nelsonville Farmers Market, the release stated.
The programs are some of the 14 local applicants who received a total of $46,000 distributed by the fund. The RCIF began in 2009, and has since awarded more than $330,000 to address “issues of poverty, hunger and nutrition, education, housing and other community needs in the Logan-Nelsonville-Athens area,” a news release from Rocky stated.
“Our employees at Rocky Brands don’t just live and work in Southeast Ohio, we are ingrained in our local communities,” RCIF Chair Sarah Milligan stated in the news release. “RCIF is committed to helping our neighbors in need through these biannual grants and we really look forward to giving back, especially during this time of year.”
Other applicants who received funding were the Nelsonville Food Cupboard’s Egg Money Project, the Village of Murray Fire Department for the Athens Foundation, the Ohio Valley Museum of Discovery’s pedal and solar power exhibits, the Dairy Barn’s capital campaign and the Federal Valley Resource Program’s More Music.