Front Royal Rotary raised $157,000 last year; launches 2021-2022 drive for funds

While once again calling for support of its annual Corporate Sponsorship campaign – its 18th – the Rotary Club of Front Royal reported making either directly or indirectly financial contributions of $157,000 to a host of mainly local community projects during its last fiscal year, just passed June 30.

Led by $20,000 in scholarship money for seniors at Warren County public and private schools, major local and international contributions went to the likes of a $17,286 grant supporting an Uganda well-water project; $8,500 for playground equipment at E. Wilson Morrison Elementary School; and $9,275 for its own Rotary Foundation.

Fourteen organizations each received checks for $1,000. They were Warren Heritage Society, Camp Fantastic; House of Hope; Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation; St. Luke Community Clinic; Samuels Public Library; Humane Society of Warren County; the Warren County Blue Ridge Heritage Chimney Project; Warren County Educational Endowment; Warren County Middle School One Book Program; QD Gasque Fund (Mason Langlis); Front Royal Women’s Resource Center; Reaching Out Now; and Blue Ridge Hospice.

Other donations went to the Brody Michael Youth Scholarship Fund ($5,947); Northern Virginia 4-H Center ($5,200); Ressie Jeffries Playground Project ($5,000); Blue Ridge Arts Council and North Warren Volunteer Fire Department $4,000 each.

Also, Doc Smith Christmas Baskets ($3,915); Polio Plus ($2,870); Blue Ridge opportunities ($3,750); Dolly Parton Imagination Library ($3,200); Arts Scholarship Endowment Fund ($3,000); Habitat for Humanity ($2,500); Warren Memorial Hospital (trail benches); Coats for Kids ($1,600); and Marlow-Moore Student Athlete awards ($1,500).

Other smaller contributions ranging from $623 for Warren County Parks to $100 supporting Warren County Girls’ Softball went to (all receiving $500) Blauvelt-Crump Student Art Awards, C-CAP, Girl Scouts Daisy Troop, Boy Scouts Troop 4, Warren County Day of Caring, Healthy Families, Little League Baseball, DARE program, and the Skelton Endowment.

Warren County public school teacher awards amounted to $474 and the Front Royal Soccer Association received $250.

Indirect contributions included those to the 2020 JDRF Walk ($23,550), the Gates Foundation Polio-plus Match ($5740); and the Salvation Army Kettle Drive ($3,878).

Rotary’s Sponsorship Committee chair Bret W. Hrbek

Announcing the 18th Annual Corporate Sponsorship Campaign for 2021-2022, Rotary’s Sponsorship Committee chair Bret W. Hrbek termed the program “a huge success and has turned into one of our club’s major fundraisers.” This year, there are five sponsorship levels: Platinum ($2,500); Gold ($1,000); Silver ($750); Bronze ($500) and Associate Sponsor ($250)

To participate, contact Hrbek at BretHrbek.Rotary@gmail.com by October 1.