Pinola/Chamber Fund Distributes Grants

The Chamber held the 92nd installation of its board of directors last week at Angeles National Golf Club. Pouring rain couldn’t keep the attendees away. In addition to witnessing the Oath of Office led by State Senator Anthony Portantino, guests were treated to an information-filled (but oh so silly) skit honoring the 10 recipients of the Mary Pinola/CV Chamber Education Fund grants.

Here are the honorees, the amount of their grants and how they will use their money:

Ahead with Horses

will purchase 10 solar lamp posts to provide lighting for the facility that supports developmental therapeutic vaulting lessons for children with special needs. ($1,700)

Crescenta Valley High School

Instrumental Music will purchase music stands and stand racks used by over 250 instrumental music students. The old ones were falling apart and required duct tape! ($2,935)

Dunsmore Elementary School

will apply its grant toward purchasing and implementing the Arts Attack Curriculum that provides instructional DVDs, art supplies, and art exhibit equipment for 500 students in grades K-6. ($2,135)

Fremont Elementary School

will use its grant to purchase a set of portable risers for use throughout the school facility for spirit assemblies, field day and education programs. ($950)

Glendale Clean & Beautiful

will purchase art materials for children to complete posters for the “I Love My Neighborhood” poster contest. The contest educates students about taking pride in their neighborhoods. ($1,000)

Prom Plus

will purchase kitchen equipment to use during the main Prom Plus safe after-prom party as well as at other Prom Plus functions, including the many fundraisers held to keep this worthy organization going. ($500)

Rose Bowl Aquatics Center

in partnership with Glendale Community College will use its grant money to help underwrite rental of pool space for 30 students with injury-related, chronic disease-related and developmental disabilities. It will purchase five sets of “bells and blades” to encourage a dynamic full body workout for fitness, conditioning, fuller range of motion, stabilization and coordination. ($3,395)

Rosemont Middle School will purchase equipment for the development of the after-school sports programs for girls including volleyballs, soccer balls, basketballs and lacrosse sticks. ($2,358)

St. James-Holy Redeemer School will purchase resources, including a sand-and-water table, a mobile teacher easel and 10 scooter cars for the transitional kinder and kinder programs. ($1,113)

YMCA of the Foothills will expand its STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering & Math) programs and robotics activities. The Lab at the Crescenta Valley YMCA has the capacity to reach an additional 30 children weekly with the upgrade of the remote control hardware and construction of the “Bot Pit” for races and contests among remote control vehicles and programmed robots. ($2,850)

Since its inception, this fund has awarded over $215,972 in grants to local educational programs benefitting all our students. Major funding comes from the annual Smart-a-Thon happening this year on March 15 at USC Verdugo Hills Hospital. It’s good fun for a good cause! Call the Chamber for registration information.

Upcoming Event

Chamber bingo night on Feb. 4 at USC Verdugo Hills Hospital. Only $10 for 10 games. Tickets available at the Chamber office.

  Lisa DUPUY