October 20, 1999
Breakfast honors community spirit
Several area organizations were honored for their commitment to community during a breakfast sponsored by SAMS's Club of Traverse City . The breakfast was also a platform for SAMS's Club to present these organizations with grant funds, six were fund-raiser matching grants and three were grant gifts.
Matching grants are derived from fund-raising events held by nonprofit organizations that SAM's Club associates get involved with and apply to the Wal-Mart Foundations, SAM's Club parent company, for a matching grant. Year to date, Traverse City SAM's Club has given away a total of $26,142.54 to the community through donations and grants, noted Laurie Grabe, Community Involvement Leader and Merchandise Manager.
The following were the organizations honored during the breakfast:
- Family Crisis Intervention, amount raised: $390.31, grant: $390.31, total: $780.62.
- A.R.C of Grand Traverse, amount raised: $679.29, grant: $679.29, total: $1,359.58.
- Rainbow of Hope Farm, amount raised: $1,880.50, grant: $1,880.50, total: $3,761.
- Kingsley High School Linda Guldner Memorial Scholarship, grant: $2,000, total: $2,000.
- D.A.R.E., grant: $2,000.
- Cherryland Humane Society, amount raised: $374.64, grant: $374.64, total: $749.28.
- Montessori Children's House of Suttons Bay, amount raised: $402.95, grant: $402.95, total: $805.90.
- March of Dimes, amount raised: $870.32, grant: $870.32, total: $1,740.64.
- American Heart Association, grant: $2,000, total: $2,000.
Also honored during the breakfast was Traverse City business leader James Beckett.
Beckett, coordinator of the Grand Traverse Area Catholic Schools Gladhander Auction, was selected to receive the 1999 Sam Walton Business Leader Award. Beckett was chosen as the award recipient by the Traverse City Area Chamber of Commerce, which received a $500 grant in the honoree's name.