Article Contributed on: 6/8/2009 12:46:23 AM
The Conifer Rotary Foundation completed its 2008-09 charitable funding cycle last Tuesday, June 2nd, with financial gifts in support of four local organizations. The awards were presented by Foundation Chair, Suzanne Barkley, who shared information about each local nonprofit organization as she presented the groups' representatives with their checks.
Sally Wandling, founder of the Camp Comfort bereavement program at Mount
Evans Hospice in Evergreen, accepted funds to help sponsor a child who had recently lost a parent. She also accepted funds for the 4th of July Freedom Run.
The Rotary Foundation gift to Beaver Ranch Community Park lodge will allow the facility to soon be ADA compliant and the main lodge buildingwill soon be
sporting a newly renovated entry thanks to Conifer Rotary and to the volunteers from the friends at VFW Post 12009. Board member, Ron McInnes accepted on
behalf of Board chair, Stan Foxx.
Kathy Mastroianni, the Executive Director of Mountain Peace Shelter, spoke about the importance of the SafePets Program created by Conifer Rotarians. She told the Rotarians and assembled guests that many women would not leave their abusive living situation if they had to leave their beloved pets behind.
Thanks to efforts by volunteers and funding by the Rotary Foundation they have now created safe and warm kennels for dogs and cats at the Shelter. The monies donated will finish insulating the dog area and provide perches and crates for the cats.
Conifer Rotary joined ILoveUGuys Foundation with a donation in support
of their newly created in-school safety program. Ellen Stoddard Keyes
shared the progress of her and John Michael Keyes' vision and their efforts to
give school educators and staff the tools to respond and work with law
enforcement more closely in situations.
Also on hand to share in the giving were Mountain Area Home and Garden Show founders Ron Catterson, Brian Hutchison and Scott Handly who presented Suzanne Barkley and the Conifer Rotary Foundation an oversized check for $10,000 to help cover the many checks the Conifer Rotary Foundation awards to our community's important nonprofit groups.
To learn more about the Rotary Club of Conifer and the Conifer Rotary Foundation visit
www.coniferrotary.organd/or personally visit the Rotary Club as a guest on Tuesday mornings from 7-8am at the Mountain Resource Center on Kitty Drive in Conifer.