Literacy grants for 2022 are now open for projects in Anderson and Roane counties. The grants are made possible by the annual Lunch for Literacy in Oak Ridge, a joint effort by Altrusa of Oak Ridge and the Oak Ridge Breakfast Rotary Club.
Application packages must be received by January 15. If you would like an application or have questions, send an email to [email protected] or call Dean Cheatham at (760) 443-4379.
The Sew Good Mask Project is a new organization in Oak Ridge formed to coordinate those making cloth masks with the organizations that are requesting them.
The three Rotary Clubs in Oak Ridge are working together to provide funding for the purchase of supplies for the Sew Good Mask Project as well as other much-needed personal protective equipment.
More than 65 volunteers have joined the Sew Good Mask Project since its creation on April 8. More than 1,100 masks have been donated to places including Methodist Medical Center, Emory Valley Center, the Free Medical Clinic of Oak Ridge, Oak Ridge High School, Oak Ridge Senior Center, Summit Medical Group Oak Ridge, Commonwealth Senior Living at Oak Ridge, Diversicare of Oak Ridge, and more, a press release said.
There are many ways to contribute to the project.
“You don’t need to be a sewer to help out,†said Judi Gray, the main force behind the Sew Good Mask Project.
[Read more…]Altrusa International of Oak Ridge is offering scholarships starting at $1,000 to deserving women to support their pursuit of education and/or training, a press release said.
The Sarah Ketron Scholarship is intended for women who are non-traditional students and have interrupted their studies for work or family obligations and are returning to school to complete their education. It is named in honor of the late Sarah Ketron, Altrusa president in 1973-74. She was for many years a school counselor in Oak Ridge as well as a community leader and volunteer.
The Altrusa Scholarship is available for women who are continuing their education, post-high school, at an institution of higher learning, such as a university, community college, or technical college, the press release said.
Altrusans seek to encourage and support women who are striving to complete their education, search for jobs, and become financially independent. “One of the key goals for selection is to award scholarships to those who show significant financial need,†said Kesha Waters, co-chair of the Scholarship Committee. [Read more…]
Josee Tousignant
The new owner and operator of Curves, a fitness center for women in Oak Ridge, will discuss her previous work as a cross-country truck driver during an Altrusa meeting on Wednesday.
Josee Paquin Tousignant will discuss “what entices a woman to choose a cross-country truck driving job,” a press release said.
The Altrusa of Oak Ridge meeting is at lunchtime Wednesday at the DoubleTree Hotel.
Tousignant is a French-Canadian woman from a small town northwest from Montreal, a press release said. She comes from a family of four siblings: two girls and two boys, all of whom became truck drivers at some point in their lives. [Read more…]
To the Editor:
Each year in March a special group of generous company sponsors pool their resources and, along with individuals from our community, support the annual literacy program of the Altrusa International Club of Oak Ridge and Oak Ridge Breakfast Rotary Club. The Lunch 4 Literacy event raises between $15,000 and $20,000 routinely, which allows our community to support exceptional projects that promote literacy and ensure attention is given to the literacy needs that, without the generosity of our sponsors and individual contributors, could go unmet.
The lack of literacy skills is a serious problem within our communities. The reality is that often simple but effective programs can have a profound impact on individuals that enable them to realize their full potential in life. Without these very effective efforts made possible by grants from Lunch 4 Literacy, people in our communities, limited by a lack of basic skills, continue to fail in areas many of us take for granted. Until you have personally encountered illiteracy and its awful adverse impact, it is hard to fully appreciate the value of simply reading and understanding what is read. Through the continuing supportive efforts of our sponsoring companies we are making a difference in our communities! [Read more…]
Altrusa International of Oak Ridge is offering scholarships of up to $1,000 to deserving women to support their pursuit of education and/or training. Two of the scholarships honor former Altrusa presidents and civic leaders, Sarah Ketron and Pat Rush.
Altrusans seek to encourage and support women who are striving to complete their education, search for jobs, and become financially independent. The scholarships also target re-entry students who have returned to college or other training after interrupting studies for work or family, or students who are beginning their education after an interruption between high school and college. “One of the key goals for selection is to award scholarships to those who show significant financial need,†said Janet Swift, chair of the Scholarship Committee. [Read more…]
Altrusa of Oak Ridge has its annual spaghetti dinner and auction on Wednesday evening at the DoubleTree Hotel.
The dinner and musical entertainment begin at 5 p.m., the silent auction lasts from 5-6:30 p.m., and the live auction starts at 6:30 p.m. The auction includes handcrafted items, holiday gifts, and services, a press release said.
Tickets are $12 for adults, $6 for children ages 4-Â10, and admission is free for children three years old and younger, the press release said. Tickets can be purchased from an Altrusa member or at the door.
Wine will be available for sale, and one-Âhalf the dinner cost is tax-deductible, the release said.
Altrusa is a nonprofit community service organization.
