The Daily Item, Sunbury, PA

Lewisburg Region

Discussion

January 25, 2013

Green Dragon Foundation Presents Gift of $65,000 to LASD

The Daily Item

LEWISBURG — Brooks Gronlund, president of the Green Dragon Foundation, presented a check in the amount of $65,000 to Dr. Mark DiRocco, superintendent of the Lewisburg Area School District, at the Jan. 24 school board meeting.

“On behalf of the Green Dragon Foundation Board of Directors, and our more than 400 donors, I am delighted to make this gift to the Lewisburg Area School District,” Gronlund said. “This gift is the result of year-long fundraising efforts to benefit our students.”

In keeping with its mission to support educational, cultural, and athletic programs and capital improvement projects for the students of the district, the Foundation presented this check in support of a variety of programs.

 “Last year, we gave $69,000 to the district and this year, we are kicking off 2013 by making a gift of $65,000” Gronlund said. “We are committed to enhancing and enriching the academic, cultural and athletic experiences of all of our students. Throughout the coming year, the Foundation will continue its efforts to raise much-needed funding.”

Included in the $65,000 donation is a $1,000 gift in honor of the Foundation’s ‘2012 Volunteer of the Year’ Linda Roat Keefer ’64. She has chosen the Special Needs and Student Support Program as the initiative to receive this gift. DiRocco states, “Programs that support the specific individual circumstances that children face will be greatly enhanced with this support.”

According to DiRocco, Foundation support will enable the district to enhance and enrich programs that would not otherwise be possible, including:

Kelly Elementary School

n $2,300 for the purchase of Flash Masters for its third grade classrooms, which are electronic flash cards to reinforce math facts for students

n $125 for a kindergarten inquiry-based science program

Donald H. Eichhorn Middle School

n $4,636.83 for the Inquiry-Based Science Program to purchase science kits so kids can explore, hypothesize, question, predict and interpret information in a way that deepens their understanding of basic science concepts

Lewisburg Area School District

n $1,995 to augment performing and visual arts

n $7,375 toward district athletic needs

According to DiRocco, “Because of the Green Dragon Foundation, the district will be able to continue some of its scheduled field trips and student academic competitions. With reduced state and federal funding, many of these programs were eliminated. Without the Foundation’s help, some of these experiences would not be happening.”

The Foundation continues to making a big difference for junior high student athletes as well. According to Glock, “An additional $10,000 gift completes the outfitting of every junior high athlete and cheerleader with a new uniform.” In 2011, an anonymous donor approached the Foundation about wanting to help in this area. “Sometimes a simple thing like a new uniform is all it takes to unify a team or give an athlete more self-confidence. It has been very rewarding watching the young athletes take the fields and courts with a renewed sense of school spirit and individual pride,” said the donor.

Finally, major gifts from the Baylor-Hamm Companies (Country Cupboard), Kelly Hospitality (Damon’s), Lawton Insurance, Northumberland National Bank, Susquehanna Bank, and Weis Markets enabled programs to receive $30,500 in funding through the Pennsylvania Educational Improvement Tax Credit program. This gift will fund such programs as the Interactive Language & Literature Program for students in grades K-8, the Middle School Television Studio Program, and the On-Line Courses for Advanced Learning at the high school.

“The Foundation is so grateful for all gifts from both corporate and individual supporters,” states Gronlund. “Their donations truly make a difference in the lives of Lewisburg students.”

Individuals or businesses wishing to volunteer or donate can visit the Green Dragon Foundation website at www.greendragonfoundation.org or call the Foundation office at 522-8433.

 

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