Angel Society's philanthropic efforts going strong

FALLBROOK - Donations totaling $19,214 were approved for several local charities and community programs during the fourth quarter of 2009 by the Angel Society of Fallbrook.

This brings the group’s total amount of funds donated to the community last year to $98,134, including $12,000 in college scholarships awarded to local graduating seniors, according to Marilyn Miller, second vice president and philanthropy chair.

Santa’s Toy Project, which aids several troops and their families, topped the list of donations in October through December with $5,500 in funds earmarked for the program that focuses on lower-level enlisted personnel at Camp Pendleton.

Save Our Forest, a program that began in 1993 and has planted 6,500 trees in the community to date, was awarded $3,000 towards forest maintenance.

Fallbrook School of the Arts received $2,000 in funding to help support its children’s and youth arts education programs.

La Paloma School’s Science Enrichment Club was awarded $1500 to help expand and support its current six-week program, which is open to all interested fourth through sixth grade students.

Funding totaling $1,000 each was also awarded to the Women’s Resource Center, which offers shelter to battered women and children as well educational programs and therapy; Fallbrook High School PTSA, to help sponsor school improvements as well as a monthly faculty appreciation breakfast; and the Reche Club, for improvements to its historic schoolhouse.

Other recipients of funds included Eagle Scout Daniel Witzel, of Troop 739, who received $760 towards his project to re-landscape the Angel Shop grounds, install a bench and update the irrigation system; and the Fallbrook Street School, $504, to purchase tickets for all second grade students to attend the Christmas play, Scrooge.

Receiving $500 each were Fallbrook Organic Gardens, Fallbrook Warrior Youth Lacrosse Club, and the Fallbrook Quilt Guild. Donations of $300 each were given to Eagle candidate Trevor Cole of Troop 704 (towards his project to build a split rail fence along the East side of Pico Promenade), Fallbrook High School’s boys’ basketball team, girls’ field hockey team and cheer squads; while the girls’ cross country team received $250.