More
than $27,500 in donations has been awarded to five local nonprofit
organizations by the Valley Foundation as part of its annual giving program.
The Foundation also has reorganized its board with four new directors, who will
begin their terms in January, 2008.
A
$10,000 grant was presented to Old Mission Santa Ines for its Holiday Baskets
program. Over the past eight years the group has assembled over 100 baskets of
food items and staples annually for low-income families.
Student
scholarships totaling $6,000 were presented to the Santa Ynez Valley
Therapeutic Riding Program, which has doubled in size since it began 18 years
ago. The accredited organization assists 40 physically challenged children and
adults, and is operated by the Santa Ynez Valley Equestrian Association,
located on North Refugio Road.
A
new agency, Visiting Nurse and Hospice Care, received an $8,000 grant for its
new Solvang office, which will have a ribbon cutting ceremony after the first
of the year. The group, also in Santa Barbara, offers home health, in-home
hospice care, and personal care services.
Elverhoj Museum received a $2,000 grant, which
will help with printing and producing its new brochure.
A
matching $1,500 grant was awarded to the Santa Ynez Valley Historical Society
to assist with the archiving of its extensive collection of western
memorabilia.
New
directors beginning a three-year term on the board include Linda Burrows,
Priscilla Higgins, Peter Robbins and John Rasmussen. Retiring members are
Pamela G. Doiron, Charles Jackson and Matthew Loudon.
The foundation also plans to select a Man and Woman of
the Year for 2007. The nomination forms will be available in January, 2008,
from Dianne Howe, administrative director. The awards will be presented during
the foundation’s annual awards banquet gala, April 5, 2008.