By Carmen Rodgers
The Prattville Millbrook Sunrise Rotary Club honored grant award recipients during the Monday, Jan. 23, meeting, which was held at the Nature Plex and Alabama Nature Center, located at 3050 Lanark Rd.
Totaling $12,000, the local Rotary Club honored the Alabama Wildlife Federation, Autauga Interfaith Care Center, Butterfly Bridge Child Advocacy Center, Family Support Center, Grandview YMCA, ISTC Foundation, MAX Kids, One Community Outreach United, Prattville YMCA, Spirit Horse Therapeutic Riding Center, Tukabatchee Area BSA Council, W.E.LC.O.M.E Food Pantry, and Youth Leadership Autauga with grant awards.
These grants were made possible through fundraising, such as the popular Alabama Waffle Cook-Off, which is held annually in December.
“The Prattville Millbrook Sunrise Rotary Club provides grant funds to local charities in Elmore and Autauga County,” said Tanner Hicks, with the Prattville Millbrook Sunrise Rotary Club. “We have a fundraiser that we do called the Alabama Waffle Cook Off. That raises funds for us to use to donate money to local charities.”
Through applications for grant funding, the Prattville Millbrook Sunrise Rotary Club chooses deserving organizations in the River Region with much needed funding.
“We try to fund organizations in Elmore and Autauga County,” Hicks said. “They submit grant applications. We have a grants committee that meets and reviews those applications, and awards grants. Monday morning was an opportunity to present those charities that were chosen with funding.”
This event brings various organizations throughout Autauga and Elmore Counties together for a great cause.
“Our Rotary Club meets on Monday mornings at The Alabama Nature Center, so we incorporated that into one of our local meetings, so they can come be a part of the meeting. All of our members are able to be there to see who all is receiving funding and be a part of the whole program,” Hicks said.
In addition to fundraising through the Alabama Waffle Cook Off, club members have a weekly opportunity to give money.
“We had 13 recipients awarded a total of $12,000,” Hicks said. “We have a fundraiser that we do weekly at our meetings, where club members and our guests have an opportunity to brag, we call it brags. It gives an opportunity to give anything from a dollar up. We had a couple this morning that gave $50, and they were given the floor. It’s an opportunity to brag on the club, something going on in the community, or brag on your business or something that you have heard about.”
According to Hick’s, the Prattville Millbrook Sunrise Rotary Club’s members and sponsors are essential to its ability to give back to the community.
“We are fortunate,” Hicks said. “We have a great Club. We have a really good group. It’s pretty consistent. We meet every Monday morning at 7 o’clock. It is a good time, when most club members can afford to be there. We have good attendance, and our folks are good to us. We have great sponsors.”
In addition to raising money through the Alabama Waffle Cook Off, the event offers grant recipients to be more hands-on in the fundraising effort.
“We also provide an opportunity for the grant recipients to come cook in the Waffle Cook Off, for free. It gives them some exposure to the public. They get to play a part. They help with food supply for the attendees. It’s a big deal and we have a good time doing it,” Hicks said.
For more information about the Prattville Millbrook Sunrise Rotary Club, visit the groups Facebook page at https://www.facebook.com/PrattvilleMillbrookSunriseRotary.
