West Side Nut Club Donates Over $563K to Local Organizations
During a normal year, the West Side Nut Club would invite members of the organizations who receive donations from funds raised during the Fall Festival to their annual Founder's Day dinner event. But, as we all know painfully well, this is not a normal year. The coronavirus pandemic has forced the Club to cancel this year's dinner for the first time in its nearly 100 year history, but it didn't stop them from still helping a large number of organizations in the area who have asked for assistance.
In lieu of the dinner event, three members of the Nut Club held a brief, socially distant press conference outside the entrance to the West Branch Library on Franklin Street Tuesday afternoon to announce this year's recipients. Of course, thanks to the hugely successful half-pot contest during last year's festival, the Club was able to donate more money than it ever has in a single year, $563,075 to be exact, with another $101,600 waiting to be distributed after membership approval.
Organizations wishing to receive donations must first apply with the Club through their website. From there, board members review all the applications and present them to the members for approval. Here are the organizations who are receiving a share of the initial funds.
- ARC of Evansville - $8,750
- Boys & Girls Club - $10,000
- CASA - $10,000
- Dream Center - $10,000
- Holly's House - $3,500
- Easter Seals - $5,000
- Evansville Association for the Blind - $25,000
- Evansville High Schools - $14,000 (7 schools at $2,000 each)
- Evansville Lutheran School - $4,000
- Evansville West Parochial Schools - $28,000 (7 schools at $4,000 each)
- Evansville Police Foundation - $25,000
- Evansville West Public Schools - $32,000 (8 schools at $4,000 each)
- Granted - $5,000
- Isaiah 117 - $20,000
- Mater Dei High School - $22,000
- Patchwork Central - $5,000
- Perry Township Fire Department - $3,500
- Ronald McDonald House - $25,000
- Reitz High School - $22,000
- University of Southern Indiana - $13,500
- Vanderburgh County Sheriff's Office - $20,000
- West Side Christian Church - $3,000
- YMCA Southwest Indiana - $2,500
- Young & Established - $5,000
- Youth First - $25,000
[Source: West Side Nut Club Press Release]