Chest board distributes $51,050
By Melinda L. Lucas
Even though it looked as if the Albany Chest would fall short of its 2021 goal, donations poured in at the end of the year, surpassing the goal of $46,000 and closing out at $50,751.
Chest board members met Wednesday, Jan. 26 and decided to distribute all that amount plus a little out of the reserves, allocating $51,050.
The Chest still has a total of $2,556 in emergency funds for needs throughout the year.
Board president Jana Kitchens said the directors were pleasantly surprised at the last minute donations.
“It’s just amazing that Albany residents and people connected with Albany continue to be so generous year after year,” said Kitchens. “It’s been a crazy couple of years, with a lot of unknowns, but our donors just keep giving.”
Distribution Decisions
At one point during the drive, the board was afraid the goal was not going to be met, and they would be forced to make difficult decisions on how the money would be distributed among the various organizations that had applied for support.
Just before Christmas, the board was still $12,000 short of its goal when donations started coming in and the directors realized they would be able to fulfill the bulk of the requests.
Kitchens said that the directors are always grateful for the community’s support each and every year.
“I hope that the overwhelming success of the 2021 campaign will be a reminder of the value we place in community,” Kitchens said. “These organizations are what bring us together and keep us united.”
2021 Allocations
Board treasurer Paige Adair has already started allocating the Chest monies to 26 different organizations that were approved for funding last fall, including the following:
Albany 7 on 7 Football $1,000, Albany Boy Scouts $1,500, Albany Cub Scouts $2,000, Albany Volunteer Fire Department $5,000, Albany Flag Football $2,000, Albany Youth Softball Association $2,500, Albany Little League $2,000, Albany’s Cause for Paws $1,500, Chelsy’s Project (Diaper Ministry) $700, Closet Angels $1,000, First Love Day Care $2,000, GED Program $600, MMPC Mother’s Day Out $2,000.
Also NSES Awards Program $1,500, Neighbors in Need $1,000, Project Graduation $1,000, Resource Care ASPIRE $2,000, Resource Care Day Camp $3,500, Resource Care Vittles by Vehicle $3,500, Rural Fire Department $2,500, Senior Citizens Activity Center $3,000, Shackelford County 4-H $1,500, Shackelford County Library/Study Club $2,500, Stepping Stones Christian School $2,000, Feed Store $3,000, and West Texas Rehabilitation Center $250.
