Thursday, July 2, 2015

Foundation for Roanoke Valley Awards Major Grant to Check Elementary School

Foundation for Roanoke Valley announced today that it has awarded a $12,000 grant to Check Elementary School for the purchase of equipment and supplies for the school’s new garden project.
 
The grant comes from the Foundation’s Jacqueline S. (Jackie) and Shelborn L. (S.L.) Spangler Fund, which was established in 2006 through the estate of S. L. Spangler.  The purpose of this endowment fund is to address a wide variety of important needs and opportunities in the communities along the Route 221 south corridor, generally falling between Cotton Hill Road and Check, Virginia.  This designation reflects where the Spanglers lived during the course of their lifetimes.

Alan Ronk, the Foundation’s executive director, said in making the announcement:  “We are thrilled to be in a position to bring this exciting project to fruition at Check Elementary School through the Spangler Fund.  Because of the Spangler’s generosity and concern, grants totaling more than $200,000 have now been awarded in the communities where they resided.”

Principal Jessica Cromer noted: “Our garden project will give students the opportunity to connect their learning to the outside world as well as the chance to provide fresh produce for our school and the Check community.  This grant will allow us to expand the project way beyond our initial expectations as we can now purchase more tools for students and a small greenhouse.  We are grateful for the Foundation’s support, and we are very excited to see what our students will grow in the future."

Foundation for Roanoke Valley is the community foundation serving this region.  The Foundation has worked for more than two decades to administer and make grants from hundreds of named endowment funds on behalf of the community.  For more information, visit Foundation for Roanoke Valley’s website at www.foundationforroanokevalley.org