From the arts to health care, Snyder Fund helps charities serve others

Representatives from 29 local not-for-profit organizations gathered at the Hotel Fauchere on Aug. 27 to receive grants from the Greater Pike Community Foundation’s Richard L. Snyder Fund.

Jim Pedranti, the foundation’s board chair, said the fund is giving out $90,000 this year.

“It will help a lot of you accomplish the goals you have for your organizations," he told the recipients.

The fund supports programs for the beautification of Milford, for local arts, cultural events and festivals, medical research and programs, and the prevention of homosexual intolerance and domestic violence.

Richard L. Snyder’s bequest

Maryanne Monte, who chairs the grants committee, acknowledged the generosity of the late Richard (Dick) Snyder for making it all possible.

“We get so many worthwhile applications, but we try to spread the seeds as far as we can," she said. "It’s just so important to the community. Dick Snyder has guaranteed that our not-for-profits will receive grant funding in perpetuity, which is amazing.”

Jenni Hamill, the foundation's executive director, also recognized Snyder’s generous bequest to the Greater Pike Community Foundation.

“I know of no organization in our area besides us who can claim to have given $90,000 to so many local charities," she said.

Judy White, a Readers and Writers Festival board member, said, “We’re really grateful not just for the monetary support but for the way it feels to embrace Dick’s spirit and carry on with what he wanted for this town.”

Funding worthy causes

Milford Presents hosts the Milford Music Festival, Girls Night Out, and many other events that support community and commerce in Milford. Adrienne Wendell explained what the group will do with the money it received.

“We’re going to upgrade the website to make it more tourist-focused and get more engaged with promoting tourism generally, because that's what brings business into town," she said.

The Pike County Public Library director, Rose Chiocchi, said she was excited about a project the grant will help fund.

“We're going to partner with the National Park Service and the U.S. Forest Service, and we’re going to have a science and art workshop in both of my branches," she said. "We’ll have a presentation that’s based on local landscapes, local flora and fauna, and then we’re going to create art based on that topic.”

American Readers Theatre Director Jeffrey Stocker said the theater's grant will be used to present a dramatic reading of a new play about Zane Grey and the letters between the famous writer, known as "the father of the Western novel," and his wife, Dolly. The reading will be presented in local schools and in the library.

Gary Linton, executive director of Wayne Pike Literacy Program, is eager to help adults whose first language isn’t English help their children with homework.

"We’ve heard from a lot of parents and school districts (in Pike County) that they have children who speak English but their parents don’t, so they can’t go home and get help from the parents," he said.

It's safe to say appreciation in the room, for all of the projects that received funding, was overwhelming. For more information or to support the Greater Pike Community Foundation, visit greaterpike.org or facebook.com/GreaterPike.