The First Community Foundation distributed $578,285 to 21 local organizations for projects that include construction of a boat launch, a greenhouse garden and a new Little League Baseball field.
At Wednesday afternoon's 2011 Fall Competitive Community Grant Reception, held at 33 East, the biggest grant of the night - $100,000 - went to Gretchen Speicher, Jersey Shore borough manager, for construction of a new river access and boat launch on the West Branch of the Susquehanna River.
"There's a spot on the river just very close to the bridge that goes over to Route 44 over to the valley," Speicher said. "That area is used heavily by boaters, swimmers and fishermen."
Construction will begin in July and will include improving the road and launch area, cleaning up the river and removing large stones and pieces of concrete.
More work will be done in the future on the boat launch, but Speicher said she does not know when or what it will be until council decides.
Jennifer Wilson, president and CEO of the First Community Foundation Partnership of Pennsylvania, said a part of the power of the endowment system is that the grants can continue yearly to help worthy organizations.
"(The donors) believed in giving generously for the benefit of others," Wilson said. "They believed that communities, like people, are something to be cherished and preserved and I suspect many of them believed in the magic we sense in the air of the holiday season."
Patsy Miller, manager of patient care at Susquehanna Health's Birthplace, received $47,956 for the Baby-Friendly Hospital Initiative at Susquehanna Health Foundation.
The initiative provides support for inpatients, outpatients and the community to educate about the importance of breastfeeding, which can reduce illness and ear infections.
"It's the best first food for six months of life," Miller said.
The Loyalsock Township School District received $30,000 to construct a greenhouse garden, which will benefit the school district for multiple classes.
The Greenhouse Garden Project will be cross-curricular, said Sherry Griggs, supervisor of curriculum and instruction.
While it already involves gardening, Griggs said there are a lot more aspects that they will cover in different classes. Some of the studies will be ecology for identifying different plants, economics for calculating the cost of seeds, and family and consumer science for the study of foods around the world.
"A good part is to research edible and medicinal plants," Griggs said.
The process will begin in January with bidding out the greenhouse and materials. Griggs said the growing portion of the process will begin in the 2012-13 school year.
"The hope is that we can grow vegetables to give to local food banks if we're successful," she said.
The YouthBuild Program, a part of STEP, received $75,000 to help teach job skills, education training and leadership training, Dan Merk, economic and business developer, said.
Unemployed people primarily aged 17 to 24 years old help build and renovate houses in the area.
"It will be done in conjunction for flood relief," Merk said. "It helps the critical need for housing, both construction and renovation and with the flood, it may indirectly help that."
Participants usually are in the program six to nine months with some follow-up time for placement in employment or post-secondary education.
Recipients and the amounts awarded:
The Williamsport Civic Chorus, $658.53.
The West House Personal Care Home, $1,112.34.
Camp Spifida, $2,500.
The East Lycoming Historical Society, $2,600.
Shepherd of the Streets, $5,000.
American Red Cross Northcentral PA Chapter, $6,000.
Williamsport Area School District, $9,000.
West End Christian Community Center, $10,000.
Williamsport Area School District, $11,534.40.
Boy Scouts of America Susquehanna Council, $15,215.
Lycoming County United Way Inc., $20,000.
The Learning Center, $20,000.
Nippenose Valley Little League, $28,700.
Loyalsock Township School District, $30,000.
Hiawatha Inc., $41,008.73.
YWCA Williamsport, $47,000.
Susquehanna Health Foundation, $47,956.
Community Arts Center, $50,000.
Sycamore Manor Health Center, $50,000.
STEP, $75,000.
Jersey Shore Borough, $100,000.
