ST. CLAIRSVILLE — The St. Clairsville Rotary Club supported numerous area organizations last week, presenting donations during a luncheon at the social hall at St. Mary Church.

Wendy Anderson, who will begin serving as president of the club July 1, said the group was able to give away $15,000, thanks to numerous fundraising initiatives.

“The funds were raised by our efforts at the Taste of the Valley and spaghetti dinner, so when you don’t think it matters, it really does matter, because we give all that money back to the community, and that’s what really is important,” she said. “Our motto is ‘Service above self,’ and that is so important.”

Anne Haning, who will serve as Rotary president after Anderson, beginning July 1, 2024, said the most rewarding part of the fundraising is the chance to help area organizations.

Checks were given to the Tri-County Help Center, the Belmont County Schools Staying Clean Club, Barton Volunteer Fire Department, Jerry’s Walk, Faith in Action, House of the Carpenter, Girl Scout Troop 1002, Belmont College STEM Camp, the St. Clairsville Area Council of Churches and the St. Clairsville Food Pantry.

Some of the recipients spoke about their projects and the use they will make of the funds.

Scout leader Jennifer Fulton of Girl Scout Troop 1002 said the troop is working on its Silver Award — the highest the troop can achieve. Fulton said they have built hygiene closets for middle school and high school students using funds raised selling Girl Scout cookies.

The closets have hygiene products for students in need of them. The troop held a hygiene product drive for supplies.

“They’re going to use the funds from Rotary to paint the blacktop behind the St. Clairsville Elementary playground,” she said.

Mike Linger, director of House of the Carpenter, received $500. He said the money would be used to provide school supplies to Madison Elementary School on Wheeling Island. He said the student population is 100 percent below the poverty level. The organization is also working on the Pathways to Success program, focusing on job exploration and skill development, a literacy camp and other initiatives. He thanked the Rotary club.

“It was very generous of them,” he said.

Chelsea E. Scott, executive director of the Tri-County Help Center, said the donation would be valuable in providing mental health services and assistance to survivors of domestic violence and sexual assault in Belmont, Harrison and Monroe counties.

“This particular funding will go to our shelter program. Sometimes individuals will come to the shelter with nothing but the clothes on their back,” she said.

The agency received $1,000.

Kathi Hinckley-Vaughn, director of the St. Clairsville Food Pantry, said the money would go toward a new heating, ventilation and air conditioning system, noting the current one is 26 years old.

“What I really want to do is thank you all,” she said.

She added that Rotary also assisted with a recent pack-the-truck event June 10 at Riesbeck’s Food Mart, where food and monetary donations came to $9,213.

Vicki Falcone, guidance counselor at Bridgeport Exempted Village School District, president of Belmont County Friends of Juvenile Court and organizer of the school’s Staying Clean Club, said they will continue preventive outreach to keep young people from trying drugs. Students who continue to test clean for drugs receive rewards. Falcone said the program was fairly expensive when it first started, and many students could not easily afford drug testing. Efforts such as a car show scheduled for Sept. 9 and donations have offset these costs. The club received $500.

Valerie Reed, tech prep coordinator at Belmont College, said the STEM camp aims to excite an interest in technology among young people. It received $875.

“This camp is all about introducing kids — there’s a focus on younger kids,” she said.

Sandy Williams, who named Jerry’s Walk in honor of her father, Jerry Williams, who committed suicide, said the organization works to raise awareness of suicide and reaches out to teens and older people with outreach planned at senior centers this summer. She noted the majority of people who commit suicide are older than 65.

“Rotary was literally our first sponsor. They’ve had our backs now for seven years,” she said.

Her group received $500.

Barton Fire Chief Kirk Smolenak said the department is planning to build a new fire station. He also spoke about the department’s longtime working relationship with the Rotary club.

Yvonne Verno, executive director of Faith In Action, said that organization would continue to assist older adults and people with disabilities and who need transportation to their doctors or to buy groceries.

Barbara Griffiths, president of the St. Clairsville Area Council of Churches, said all the group’s work is volunteer. Her group received $5,500.

“We really appreciate the money that people have been able to give to us,” she said.