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Rotary Club of Sonoma Valley opens Spring community grant cycle

More than 100 Rotarians, family, and friends gathered at Fr Roberts Hall at St Francis Solano on March 12 for the annual St. Patrick’s dinner and the $10k raffle.

The Rotary Club of Sonoma Valley announced the opening of the club’s spring grant cycle for nonprofit community organizations. 

“We’ve been serving Sonoma Valley continuously since 1946, doing what we can to make our community a little bit better for the people who live, work, or visit here,” said Therese Nugent, club president.

“Last fall we awarded thirteen grants totaling about $25,000 for things such as reading remediation materials for Prestwood School, an outdoor furniture set for Sweetwater Spectrum, turkeys and supplies for the annual Thanksgiving event at the Sonoma Community Center, financial support to youths in the Queer Art Club, and money to support the Sonoma Ecology Center’s Creek Stewardship Program.”

Tina DeMartini, Frank Crowley and Lori Rukes at the raffle dinner, which raised $65k.

Interested nonprofit groups can download the application, submission instructions, and grant guidelines at www.SonomaValleyRotary.org, under the Community Grant Application link on the club’s home page.

Applications are due by March 31, 2022.

The club’s grants committee will review all applications submitted and plans to announce the awards by the end of April. 

“Our grants program typically focuses on nonprofits and schools. But we also know how important our small businesses are to the health of the community,” Nugent added. “The Catalyst Fund matched money we raised, and together we awarded $200,000 to help small businesses cope with Covid-related costs and the financial challenges that stemmed from those costs. 

Additionally, members donate time to help Sonoma Valley, such as Saturdays helping maintain Sonoma Garden Park, and an annual walk 8th St East, cleaning up litter from Napa Road to Napa Street.”

The St. Patty’s kitchen crew: Ron Lawson, Mark Curtis, Roget DeClerq and Sam Morphy

On March 12, the club celebrated raising $65,000 through its annual St. Patrick’s Day Raffle, money that it will distribute over the next couple of grants cycles. The lucky $10k raffle winner was Neil Olij. 

 

 

 

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