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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

November 12, 2009

Sussex Area Community Foundation presented nearly $12,500 in grants to seven groups at its Nov. 12 fall ceremony.

Front Row, left to right: Patricia Stout and Janice McCaustlin of Sussex Regional High School for visiting human rights activist Sally Armstrong; Judy Legere of the Danny and Jessica Angel Foundation; Harold Dalling of P.A.L.S.; Cheryl Simpson of Sussex Seniors Centre.

Back Row: SACF president Richard Sullivan; Kelly Green-Fillmore of Norton Elementary School, Eric Nelson of Sussex Seniors Centre, Tanya McCrae of the Sussex Area Pregnancy Care Centre; Bridget Ryan and Doug Bobbit of Sussex Middle School.  

It was an evening of buses and babies, breakfasts and basic human rights as the Sussex Area Community Foundation distributed nearly $12,500 during its autumn grants ceremony.

The seven financial gifts presented by the SACF on Nov. 12 is the second of the charitable organization's biannual grants giving, with the year's total grants exceeding $30,000. SACF has assisted 54 Kings County groups with $188,000 in its five years of grant distributions.

President Richard Sullivan said despite a struggling economy that squeezes investments and increases the community need, the SACF has elected to continue investing in its region. Funding requests for this round were triple the amount the foundation was able to give. He stressed the need for community investment in the SACF work to allow it to nurture a wide variety of community projects for the long term.

Students and education were the largest recipients of this round of funding. Five thousand dollars are helping fuel the “Get the Wheels Rolling” campaign to purchase a new minibus for Sussex Middle School. Campaign representative Doug Bobbit noted this brings the total to $60,000 the community has raised to safely transport students of all ages to extra-curricular activities. Details about the vehicle are now being worked out prior to issuing a tender to have the minivan built.

Another $2,000 will help feed and clothe students at 10 schools served by the Danny and Jessica Angel Foundation. Judy Legere and her organization provide hot meals, clothing and other essentials to children from Norton to Moncton.

Norton Elementary School students can enjoy fresh cold milk with their lunches thanks to the $1,146 grant that allows the school to purchase a new cooler.

Harold Dalling is excited to see the start of a new initiative at the PALS school the $1,000 his grant makes possible. Taking a page from a similar school in western Canada that combines exercise and study in the classroom, he will purchase a treadmill that allows students to hone their learning skills.

New and expectant mothers can further their parenting skills as the latest $1,560 grant supports the second stage of the Earn While You Learn program offered by the Sussex Area Pregnancy Care Centre. This program offers clients to earn points towards purchasing baby supplies by their attending courses on baby care.

Sussex High School students and the greater community got a first-hand account of the fight to improve living conditions of Afghanistan women. A $750 grant paid the airfare to bring activist Sally Armstrong to Sussex for two days in early November.

The seventh grant for $1,000 will help renovate the washrooms at the Sussex Seniors Centre to better accommodate those of the 278 members with mobility challenges.