Rotary clubs ‘Lend?a Hand to Education’

The Rotary Clubs of Petaluma Valley and Petaluma Sunrise are accepting 2016 applications for grants from teachers in all public and private Petaluma schools. Grants range from $100 to $250. The grants are designed to fill the gap between a few hundred dollars of student supplies and major funding for school curriculum and technology.

Deadline for applying for the grants is Sept. 30.

Since 2004, Rotary has donated more than $163,000 for the “Lend a Hand to Education” mini-grants, funded by Rotary fundraisers and Petaluma business and individual sponsors.

Past grant projects made possible by Rotary “Lend a Hand to Education” funds have included: Fourth-grade students living history during an overnight field trip to the Petaluma Adobe State Historic Park; a projecting microscope opening the eyes of second-grade students to nature’s wonders such as the life phases of worms and beetles; the expansion of career path opportunities for high school students in hands-on experience with medical lab diagnostic kits for kidney donor testing; adopting a classroom pet to learn about animals, history, writing and responsibilities.

Petaluma Valley Rotary and Petaluma Sunrise Rotary clubs take no administrative fees for Lend a Hand Education. All of the tax-deductible charitable donation goes directly to the school classrooms.

For more information about the program, visitpetalumavalleyrotary.org/lendahand.htm or email lend-a-hand@sbcglobal.net for a list of schools, teachers and grants that are open for funding this year.