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Youths to feel grants' impact
Women's group chooses three $113,335 winners
Kids were the big winners Thursday night.Middle-schoolers in the two-county area will get hundreds of much-needed instruments; a covered arena will be built for disabled children and at-risk teens who participate in horse therapy; and Century's youth will receive the tools needed to increase literacy and raise FCAT scores.
The gifts came in the form of cold, hard cash, courtesy of IMPACT 100 Pensacola Bay Area's members.
"They made the list harder to choose from this year," IMPACT 100 member Donna Ward said. "I guess I have a heart for children, though. That's what really swayed my decision."
Bill Dollarhide, left, and Denis McKinnon hold one of three checks given by Impact 100 Thursday night in Pensacola.
Photo by Jennifer Cecil
IMPACT 100 comprises 340 women who each donated $1,000. That allowed the organization to distribute three grants of $113,335. Five focus committees -- culture, education, environment, family, and health and wellness -- evaluated applications from more then 50 area nonprofit organizations and made site visits to learn more about the nonprofits before selecting the top contenders.
Bill Dollarhide, president of the board for Bravo for Kids, said he wouldn't make it home before spreading the good news.
"I am calling (the Escambia and Santa Rosa music coordinators) on the ride home," he said. "I am going to let them know their instruments are coming."
Newman Gersin, executive director of Panhandle Youth Assistance, the program responsible for the Leaning Post Ranch, said the money means no more rain days at the ranch.
"We are just thrilled," he said. "It's nice to know that people see the value in what we are doing."
Bette Hooton, president of Friends of the Pensacola Public Library, said she can't wait to see children hitting the books.
"All these little communities in the north end of Escambia County are going to prosper," she said. "You will see a big change in literacy and FCAT exams. Just wait."
Debbie Ritchie, president and founder of IMPACT 100 Pensacola Bay Area, said this year's vote was the closest ever.
"I knew coming in that it would be really close," Ritchie said. "That just shows us that we had five amazing candidates."
Next year, the group hopes to increase its membership to 500, allowing the group to give grants to all five finalists.
Meet the finalists for IMPACT 100 grants
Published - October, 11, 2006
Leaning Post Ranch A Northwest Florida horse-therapy program helps autistic children to speak, gang members to learn anger management and destitute teens to enjoy horse riding.
"They have a nice blend of teenagers with problems helping disabled kids with horses," said Linda Hoffman, incoming IMPACT 100 Pensacola Bay Area president. "I don't think I was aware that it helps less-advantaged teenagers."
The group wants to build a covered area to protect children on hot days and during rain, said Fran Gersin, Panhandle Youth Assistance co-executive director.
Bravo for Kids Inc.
Bravo for Kids Inc. was founded in 2003 to provide musical instruments to local students who do not have the financial means to furnish their own.
"Our goal is to remove the economic barriers that could prevent kids from participating," said Bill Dollarhide, president of the board. "Otherwise, some of these children would not be able to participate."
Bravo for Kids promotes instrumental music education in Escambia and Santa Rosa counties by giving financial donations and by donating refurbished band and orchestra instruments to middle school music programs.
In the past three years, Bravo for Kids has given $200,000 in new instruments and refurbished nearly 200 instruments for student use.
Friends of the Pensacola Public Library
If you live in Century, the closest place to borrow a library book is 42 miles away.
But 2007 will usher in a new world when the Century Branch Library opens.
With money received from IMPACT 100, Friends of the Pensacola Public Library will be able to add a children's reading room and literacy center to the library.
"When you have a combination of poverty and lack of education, you get into a cycle of thinking that it will always be that way," said Gene Fischer, the future library director. "With a computer lab, literacy programs and educational classes, we can broaden their world. Friends wants to do that in a first-class way."