Nonprofits awarded with community grants

PORT CLINTON — Several local nonprofits were awarded nearly $80,000 in community grants and special awards by the Ottawa County Community Foundation at its annual awards presentation. On June 15, the foundation presented 35 nonprofits with funding, including the second-annual Joy Roth Little Tiger award honoring Joy Roth, who died in 2020. She was the foundation's founder and longtime president. Funding for the grants and awards came from the earnings of several unrestricted community and donor-advised funds, including the Kenneth and Naomi Akins Family Fund, Bob and Grace Armbruster Fund, Beck Family Fund, Earl J. Johnson Fund, Jane Ellen Gulau Fund, Joseph and Eleanor Kokinda Fund, Ottawa County Community Foundation Fund, Lenore Peterson-Blackburn Fund, Dr. James L. and Priscilla Rhiel Fund, Paul H. Rofkar Fund, Harry Stensen Memorial Fund and Dave and Jeanne Thierwechter Fund. Numerous 2022 donations also supported the community grants program The Little Tiger and $500 cash award, donated by Joy's husband Jeff, was presented to Christy's Corner Cafe in Elmore. "Joy loved to visit Christy's Corner Cafe and wanted to see them succeed. We often would take a trip to Elmore for coffee or breakfast and to see how they were doing," Jeff said. The 2022 grant recipients include Arc of Ottawa County, Cancer Services, Catawba Island Historical Society, Courageous Community Services, Cultivate the Clover of Ottawa County, Family & Child Abuse Prevention Center, Firelands Symphony Orchestra, Friends of Ottawa County Parks, Goodwill Industries, Greater Port Clinton Area Arts Council, Habitat for Humanity of Ottawa County, Jacob's Joy, Joyful Connections, Lake Erie Foundation, Lake Erie Islands Conservancy, Lake Erie Islands Nature & Wildlife Center, Lakeside Heritage Society, Light House Sober Living, Luther Home of Mercy, Marblehead Lighthouse Bicentennial Comm, Musical Arts Series, Oak Harbor Development Group, Oak House, Ottawa County Agricultural Society, Ottawa County Family Advocacy Center, Ottawa County Museum, Otterbein SeniorLife Museum, Ottawa County Transitional Housing, Port Clinton Firefighters Association, Project Noelle, PIB Chamber of Commerce and Tourism, Salvation Army and United Way in Ottawa County "We are pleased to partner with these fine organizations to enable the remarkable services they provide to the people of Ottawa County. We congratulate them," foundation executive director Shea McGrew said.