Waynesboro Kiwanis Club gives grants to local nonprofits

Five area nonprofits received gifts totaling $7,500 from the Waynesboro Kiwanis Club at the club’s regular meeting on Tuesday at the Waynesboro Country Club.

Representing Rebuilding Together Greater Augusta was Executive Director Lee Warren, who accepted a gift of $2,000 from club president Allison Fink and Kiwanis fund chair Tom Reider.

Other grants awarded and those receiving include:

• Dennis Baugh, Executive Director for Valley Children’s Center, accepting $1,500
• David Hein, Program Director for Valley Music Academy, $1,500
• Brooke Rodgers, Executive Director at CASA for Children, $1,500
• Terry Team, Executive Director for Daily Living Center in Waynesboro, $1,000

Dan Layman President and CEO of the Blue Ridge Community Foundation, attended the awards as well and offered brief remarks about the foundation and the Kiwanis grants.

While the Club’s Fund is now a part of the Community Foundation of the Central Blue Ridge, those original funds come from the club’s ownership in the 1950s of Camp Kiwanis located near Lofton.  Camp Kiwanis was operated by the club from 1950 until 1987 when the club sold the camp and created a Camp Kiwanis Foundation.  In 2012 club members voted to transfer that money to the Community Foundation of the Central Blue Ridge.  Kiwanis maintains control of those funds and will typically direct gifts (with a focus on needs for children and teens) on an annual basis to community organizations based on requests, need and availability.