Community foundation awards $41,473 in grants

A non-medical sobering center for people who are drunk, a professional fundraiser for Ramona Town Hall and support for school-based Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics (STEM) programs are among projects receiving grants from The Ramona Community Foundation.

Salerno Winery provided the setting for the foundation’s fourth annual Grant Awards Celebration on Oct. 1. Ten nonprofits received a total of $41,473.

Wes Brustad, chair of the Ramona Community Foundation Board, served as master of ceremonies. With him to present the grants were board treasurer Neil Ray Krenzel and members Donna Zick, Cindy Galloway, Kevin McNees, Paul Zawilenski and Kristin Zook. John

Degenfelder, chairman emeritus, was out of town and unable to attend.

Community Impact for Ramona was the focus of this year’s grants.

The Ramona Community Foundation is an affiliate of The San Diego Foundation.

Following are award recipients:

•Ramona Town Hall, $7,000 to hire a professional fundraiser to help develop a fundraising plan for restoration of the building’s Main Hall. Woody Kirkman, president of the hall’s trustees, said Main Hall restoration will cost about $1.5 million.

•In His Steps Christian Recovery Homes, $7,000 for a 24-hour non-medical sobering center for law enforcement or private individuals to bring an intoxicated person, providing an alternative to jail.

•Boys & Girls Club Ramona Branch, $5,000 to immerse club members in the world of science, technology, engineering and math.

•Ramona Senior Center, $5,000 to reduce senior food insecurities.

•Feed America, $4,773 for mobile pantry hunger-relief program the third Thursday of every month in partnership with Ramona Food & Clothes Closet.

•Trauma Intervention Programs (TIP), $4,000 to involve community members in providing emotional and practical support to people in crisis.

•Eric Paredes Save a Life Foundation, $3,500 to provide free heart screening for young people age 12 to 25 to identify cardiac abnormalities that put them at risk.

•Write Out Loud, $2,500 to bring free short story concerts to Ramona.

•Ramona Community Garden, $1,700 for low water use drip system for 50 garden plots.

•Hearts & Hooves therapeutic riding center, $1,000 to use mini-horses and other animals to teach basic horse safety, hoof care and proper grooming.

Individual and business members of The Ramona Community Foundation donate at least $1,000 a year to be split between immediate grantmaking and an endowment.

Some of the money for this year’s grants came from the Matt McLaughlin endowment Fund at The San Diego Foundation.