CAVENDISH COMMUNITY FUND ANNOUNCES GRANTS

Submitted by Peter J. LaBelle

The Cavendish Community Fund has announced that it will give three grants this year to local individuals and organizations for Cavendish programs and projects.  CCF was established in 2007 to administer modest monetary grants for programs that add significant educational or cultural value to the quality of life in Cavendish.  The latest round of grant applications was due by April 1st and a citizens’ selection committee then reviewed the applications and selected those qualified for grants.

The first recipient is a Community Based Performance of live theater to be produced by Bridget Leicester who previously brought to Cavendish the Spoon River Anthology in 2006.  Community Based Performance refers to a unique, widely inclusive, multi generational, local performance that draws on the stories, skills and issues of a specific community.  The story will be selected and written by the participants and will be scheduled for a performance date this August.  All Cavendish residents are eligible to work on the project.  Work, including rehearsals will begin in May.  It will be directed by Lauryn Axelrod, Director of Education at the Weston Playhouse Theater Company.

The second grant is going to Stepping Stones Preschool which will sponsor a college level, professional development course specifically for early childhood educators, child care providers, and elementary school teachers on math and science.  The program will be run this fall by The Vermont Center for the Book, located in Chester.  It will provide the educators with math and science curricula, and teaching materials including books that will enable them to more proficiently introduce children to these critical subjects.

The third and final grant recipient is the Cavendish Historical Society for an archeological dig to be held this summer.  Following on the successful archeological dig last summer at Jackson Gore, the Historical Society will sponsor a dig this year in Cavendish.  Part of the project will include a learning camp for elementary school students in grades five through eight, who will get hands on experience at the prehistoric site.

The CCF encourages others to submit grant requests at any time.  The next deadline will be announced later in 2008 but interested parties need not wait for that date.  For more information and application materials please call Peter LaBelle at 226-7250 or Barbara Dickey at 226-7187.