SHARON, PENN. — At its recent 31st Annual Gift Giving meeting the Strimbu Memorial Fund Board of Directors voted to disperse grant allocations to local economic development and charitable organizations approaching $200,000 in annual gifts.
On Dec. 19, individuals representing these non-profits, charitable groups and those organizations involved in economic advancement, gathered at Penn-Northwest Development Corp. in Sharon, Pa., to receive their grants distributed by the Strimbu Memorial Fund Board of Directors.
Grants were awarded to the following organizations:
- Brookfield Community Park
- Brookfield Police Dept.
- Buhl Club
- Building of Hope
- Children’s Center of Mercer County
- Community Library of the Shenango Valley
- Eagle’s Nest Life Equipping Center
- EOMAC-Youngstown-Warren Regional Chamber of Commerce
- Guardian’s Nest
- Inspiring Minds
- Joshua’s Haven
- Kinsman American Legion
- L.I.F.T. (Lifting Individuals for the Trades)
- Meals on Wheels Shenango Valley
- Meals on Wheels Trumbull County
- Mercer County Coalition for Drug Awareness Program
- Mercer County Mentoring
- Penn-Northwest Development Corp.
- Prince of Peace AWESOME Program
- Shop with a Cop Program—Farrell
- The American Red Cross, Lake to River Chapter
- The Hope Center for Arts & Technology
- The Salvation Army—Sharon
- United Way of Mercer County—Success by Six Program
- Valley Shenango Economic Development Corp.
- Waterfire Sharon
- West Hill Ministries
“The Strimbu Memorial Fund awarded these grants to assist in these organization’s development efforts and provide assistance and programs to those in need,” said Bill Strimbu. “Their work is extremely important and beneficial to our surrounding communities.”
Also at its Annual Gift Giving meeting, Jim Grasso, president; Gary Hoff, vice president; Frank Krieder, treasurer; and John Matune, secretary; were re-elected to terms ending in 2021. Also re-elected to terms ending in 2022 were Gary Hoff, Frank Krieder, Nancy Lukasko, Spencer Strimbu, Dustin Ghizzoni, Nick Strimbu, Frank Vendemia and Kara Kasula.
Since its creation in 1990, the Strimbu Memorial Fund has provided over $3.6 million in donations to local economic development, individuals, scholarships and charitable organizations. Just this past year, the fund awarded more than $160,000 in such grants and scholarships to local students.
“Now in our 31st year, with the tradition of giving started by the example set by Nick Strimbu Jr. during his lifetime, we continue to perpetuate his legacy of philanthropic giving to assist with the needs of our community,” said President of the Board Jim Grasso. He added: “We aspire to give a hand up, not a hand out.”
The 23th Annual Wild Game Dinner is being planned for Feb. 16, 2020, along with the 31st Annual Strimbu Memorial BBQ set for May 6, 2020. Funds raised by the two events will enable the SMF to continue its philanthropic support of area charitable initiatives.
More information about the Strimbu Memorial Fund is available at the Memorial Fund’s website, strimbumemorialfund.com.
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