McHenry Area Rotary Club distributes more than $43,000 in grants

Starting in the fall of 2021 and continuing through this year, the McHenry Area Rotary Club distributed 16 grants totaling $43,415 to academic and humanitarian causes.

The allocations range from a $315 donation to Johnsburg High School to help fund Advanced Placement testing for college-bound students to grants of $5,000 each to the Pioneer Center for Human Services, the Youth and Family Center of McHenry County, Kids in Need of McHenry County and the Wheelchair Foundation, according to a news release.

Since September, the club has also awarded grants to the Wonder Lake Food Pantry, Operation Wild Horse, Home of the Sparrow, Johnsburg High School’s Interact Club, Knights of Columbus Council 1288, AP testing at McHenry High School, the McHenry Food Pantry, Shelter Box International and the Colorado Rotary District 5450 in support of local wildfire relief.

“From the AP testing grants that enable students to save thousands of tuition dollars to the emergency food and shelter assistance we’ve been able to provide, it just feels really great to be able to contribute in these meaningful ways,” Rotary member Don Tonyan said in a statement. “We hope to keep it all going with another terrific Blues, Brews and BBQ out at Petersen Park this August.”

The festival is an annual three-day music, craft beer and food festival supported by the chapter and co-chaired by Tonyan and Denis Buch, which will be held this year from Aug. 19 until Aug. 21.

For event details as they develop, go to mrbbb.com or find Blues, Brews and BBQ on Facebook.