Local Foundation Announces Annual Grants   Lexington, VA (Mon., October 12, 2009) - Rockbridge Area Community Foundation announced today that it has awarded grants to nine local not-for-profit organizations. The foundation annually awards grants to charitable organizations in the Rockbridge and Bath Counties area. The grants can be awarded to any tax exempt organization that demonstrates its ability to fulfill a chartable need in our community. This year’s grants were made possible by four unrestricted funds within the Foundation; the Gabe and Mary Balazs Memorial Fund, the Louis W. and Helen D. Hodges Fund, the Woodson A. and Lorraine M. Sadler Fund and the Rockbridge Area Community Fund. Grants will be presented at the Foundation’s Annual Reception on November 12th at 5:30 p.m. in Kendal Hall at Kendal in Lexington. Grants were awarded to Boxerwood Education Association, for the Fearless Book Club project; Hoofbeats, to provide therapeutic riding sessions to financially needy riders; Millboro Area Rescue Squad, to assist with the purchase of a trailer for an ATV rescue vehicle; Paxton House, to purchase equipment for a catering kitchen; Rockbridge Area Community Services, to purchase educational materials for an alternative after-school activity; Rockbridge Area Hospice, to support the Good Neighbor program; Rockbridge Area Occupational Center, to purchase a computer system; Rockbridge Area Transportation System, to purchase a GPS device; and Yellow Brick Road Early Learning Center, to replace aging equipment. Additionally, grants will be given to support the Rockbridge SPCA and the Rockbridge Regional Library from the Gabe and Mary Balazs Fund. Rockbridge Area Community Foundation is an affiliate of Community Foundation of Western Virginia, Inc., which includes Roanoke and Martinsville. Endowment funds can be set up within Rockbridge Area Community Foundation to support virtually any charitable purpose to benefit the community. These funds can be unrestricted, for a particular field of interest, designated for a specific organization, or advised by the donor. For additional information on how you can help make a difference in our community, please call the Community Foundation at 540-985-0204.

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