Fallbrook Rotary presents local grants

FALLBROOK — Nine local nonprofit organizations recently received Community Service Grant Awards from the Rotary Club of Fallbrook. The funds for these grants come from the proceeds of the club’s annual Lobster on the Green fundraiser held each fall as well as periodic donations from club members.

Each year the Rotary Club of Fallbrook Foundation contributes to local nonprofits that are making the community a better place to live. To be considered, the organizations must submit a letter of request. The foundation then selects from these based on underlying criteria: promotion of a healthy and rich community life for children; promotion of a healthy and caring community life for senior citizens; and support of the community’s efforts to enrich culture through activities that support the needy, beautification, the arts and music.

The $26,810 in grant awards presentations made at the recent meeting went to the following organizations:

• Boys & Girls Club of North County — $10,000 presented to Executive Director Abe Oliveras to help fund the club’s five core programs

• Boys & Girls Club of North County Foundation — $2,000 presented to Abe Oliveras to help build up the foundation’s endowment fund

• Fallbrook Music Society — $3,500 presented to Music Society President Brenda Montiel to help fund the Westwind Brass Music Program for district sixth-graders

• CATCH (Community Access To Child Health) — $2,310 presented to Loreta Villemez and Jauline Loescher to help offset costs associated with the Exercise Task Force and its screening services to prevent Type 2 diabetes in children

• GANAS (Guidance and Nurturing and Support – Fallbrook Youth Monitoring) — $3,500 presented to Pat Braendel, Patsy Boughboro and Donna Thompson to help fund operating costs including transportation for youth field trips to explore career options

• Think First — $2,500 presented to Jennifer Seitel and John Buchanan to help fund school presentations about the prevention of injuries and purchase helmets and booster seats and provide education on their proper use

• Fallbrook Child Development Center — $1,000 presented to Megan Campbell to help fund the renovation and repair of play structure area and outside play equipment

• Fallbrook Gem and Mineral Society — $1,000 presented to Garth Bricker to help purchase microscopes, maps, computers, globes and equipment for their classroom

• William H. Frazier School Book Giveaway — $500 presented to Elva Hawkins to help purchase 600 Dr. Seuss books to be given to students on Read Across America Day

• KOPA — $500 presented to co-editor Syndee Caldwell to help fund the annual Fallbrook High School literary magazine

The 2007 Lobster on the Green will be held Thursday, September 13, beginning at 5 p.m. at the Grand Tradition. For more information, contact Jack Wood at (760) 731-3193 or David Kauffman at (760) 944-4277.