11 Local Non-Profit Organizations Receive Funds From Terre Haute Rotary Foundation

TERRE HAUTE, Ind. (WTHI) - The Terre Haute Rotary Club Tuesday (Nov. 27) presented grants totaling $7,000 to 11 local non-profit organizations to support programs that help disadvantaged youth, provide free medical services, create science education programs and sponsor a food pantry.

Funding for the grants is provided through the Terre Haute Rotary Club Foundation.

The largest donation was $1,000 to the Wabash Valley Health Center to help fund its program to provide free eye glasses for the uninsured.

Art Spaces and Ryves Youth Center each received $800. The Art Spaces grant is for its Wabash Valley Outdoor Sculpture Collection project to honor song writer and Terre Haute native Paul Dresser.  Ryves will use its grant to make improvements in the center’s computer lab.

Rotary awarded $750 donations to the Family Service Association to support parenting education programs, and to Vigo County CASA Kids for its enrichment program.

The Vigo County Education Foundation received $700 for the Going Batty for Bats advanced manufacturing project.  High-school students will learn design and manufacturing processes by creating structures to protect bats that are helpful in reducing the number of mosquitoes. 

Three organizations received $500 grants. The Terre Haute Children’s Museum will use its gift to support its Family Friday Program. The League of Terre Haute’s Clothes Closet and dental services projects will benefit from the Rotary support.

The Salvation Army will use its grant to help fund its food pantry.

Other organizations receiving funds were the Sheldon Swope Art Gallery which will use its $450 grant for a summer youth art program, and the Terre Haute Women’s Club was presented with a $250 grant for the organization’s Shoe Bus that provides free shoes to disadvantaged children.

Other projects during the year that are supported by the Terre Haute Rotary Club Foundation include the awarding of scholarships for two Terre Haute North Vigo High School students, and providing other local students the opportunity to benefit from Rotary youth leadership programs. The Terre Haute Rotary Club also donates funds each year to support worldwide programs through the Rotary International Foundation.

The check presentations to the local non-profit groups Tuesday took place during the Rotary club's weekly meeting at the Holiday Inn.

The Terre Haute Rotary Club has received district awards for its community service to assist many organizations ranging from the sponsorship of its annual Goodwill Drive to providing volunteers for the Salvation Army, and Rotary Reads program in local elementary schools.  

The Terre Haute Rotary Club is the 84th oldest among 34,000 Rotary clubs worldwide. It will celebrate its 100th anniversary in September, 2013.