The Rotary Club of Salisbury recognized three local nonprofits as the recipients of grant funding Thursday evening at the Governor’s Challenge basketball tournament.
The Rotary Club of Salisbury, a partner with Wicomico County for the Governor’s Challenge, has established a new program: Rotary’s 3-Point Initiative: Promoting Responsibility, Integrity and Academic Achievement.
The organizations receiving funding to help them implement the initiative are Salisbury Art Space, formerly the Art Institute & Gallery, The Child and Family Foundation’s 1 Year to Empowerment program and the Epoch Dream Center.
Funds for the 3-Point Initiative grant were raised through the Rotary Club of Salisbury’s work in procuring sponsors for the tournament. To help the club successfully launch the new program, the Donnie Williams Foundation offered to match those funds dollar for dollar.
The Rotary Club raised more than $5,500, which doubles with the match from the Donnie Williams Foundation to provide a total of more than $11,000. Of that amount, $1,000 went to the Salisbury Art Space. The remaining funds were split between The Child and Family Foundation’s 1 Year to Empowerment program, receiving 30 percent, and the Epoch Dream Center, receiving 70 percent.
The presentation to the nonprofits was made on one of the basketball courts at the Wicomico Youth & Civic Center before the start of the evening’s M&T Bank Three Point Contest, Skills Challenge and Slam Dunk Contest.
This year’s Governor’s Challenge basketball tournament, sponsored by The Bank of Delmarva, concludes today. The tournament is in its 36th year.
Photo Caption: Standing, from left, are Alison Grice, executive director of the Salisbury Art Space; Erin Sheehan, administrative director of the Epoch Dream Center; Bunky Luffman, the intergovernmental affairs Eastern Shore liaison from the Governor’s Office; Marie Calafiura, president of the Rotary Club of Salisbury; Kurt Schuster, Rotary member and incoming president; Allen Brown, Rotary member, Donnie Williams Foundation board member and chairman of the Wicomico Recreation & Parks Commission; Mark Granger, president of the Donnie Williams Foundation; Kimberly Roemer, member of the Donnie Williams Foundation; Donnie Cooper, Rotary member; Jean Miller, vice chair of 1 Year to Empowerment; and Samantha Scott, executive director of 1 Year to Empowerment. The front row includes Makenzie Bryant and Destiny Simmons, future 1 Year to Empowerment empowerees, and Ashley Woolfork, a 1 Year to Empowerment empoweree.
