Lisa Koonce (JLP Grants Manager),Maria Rosell (Hutchinson School PTA Co-President), Carla Tarazi (Hutchinson School Principal ), Brian Brunelle (PCRA Executive Director) Clarissa Cylich, (Bartow-Pell Executive Director), Lisa Robb (Pelham Art Center Director), Andrea Bayer (Pelham Art Center Board of Directors), Susan Reische (JLP VP Community Affairs).JUNIOR LEAGUE AWARDS $5,000 TO LOCAL COMMUNITY ORGANIZATIONS April 25, 2007PELHAM,NY     The Junior League of Pelham announced the 2008 recipients of the third annual JLP Community Grants Program:Bartow-PellMansionMuseum,PelhamArtCenter, Hutchinson School PTA and Pelham Community Rowing Association. The grant checks, totaling $5,000, were distributed on April 15th at the JLP membership meeting.This program establishes criteria by which not-for-profit organizations in Pelham and the surrounding communities can apply for grants on an annual basis. Susan Reische, the Junior League’s V.P. Community Affairs said, “This is the JLP’s third year to have a formal grant application process. We are very excited to be able to provide financial support to all of these wonderful organizations.” The JLP uses a specific evaluation process when reviewing the applications. “Each of these programs is very closely aligned with one or more of our League’s focus areas: Pelham improvement, healthy families and education,” according to Lisa Koonce, JLP Grants Manager.  TheBartow-PellMansionMuseum will receive $2,300 to help defray the costs of expanding their School Education Program, as they strive to reach out to schools and child-oriented organizations in lowerWestchesterCounty. Currently, the School Education program has close to 10% of students coming from Westchester County School Districts and they would like to increase this percentage. Support from the Junior League will help cover the printing of promotional brochures for the program. Bartow-PellMansionMuseum, with its carriage house and gardens, is aNew York City and National Landmark historic house situated inPelhamBayPark, theBronx. Their School Education program, which follows New York State Standards, was established in 2004. According to Clarissa Cylich, Executive Director, “The Bartow-Pell School Education Program offers a wide variety of educational opportunities. ‘The 19thCentury Program’ allows a student to explore what it was like to live on a country estate during the 19thCentury. The award-winning ‘Native American Program’ brings students to the on-site Wigwam and fosters an understanding of the Lenape Indians, the first inhabitants of thePelhamBay area. A new ‘Architecture Program’ has been designed for High School Students.” Ms. Cylich added,”Through support from the Junior League of Pelham, Bartow-PellMansionMuseum is looking forward to expanding its outreach to the Westchester Community.  Inquiries about the program should be forwarded to Education Director, Jennifer Pollick at 718-885-1461.”ThePelhamArtCenter will receive $1,500 to support efforts to bring adult and youth audiences to thePelhamArtCenter and to Pelham to attend 16 free music and theater performances planned for April 2008-June-2009. ThePelhamArtCenter has established program initiatives in collaboration with two innovative performing arts groups: The Supporting Characters, a theater troupe, and The Music Conservatory of Westchester, a non-profit music conservatory.The mission ofPelhamArtCenter is to provide the public with a place, the resources and the opportunity to see, study and experience the arts in a community setting. Not only is the Pelham Art Center interested in expanding their multi-arts programming in the performance genre but this initiative also brings families, adults and youth to downtown Pelham on weekends and weeknights.  According to Lisa Robb, Director of thePelhamArtCenter, “Cultural arts generate enriching and educational experiences for participants. They also have the ability to generate significant related spending in the community – which could assist the Pelhams and their residents in the shared goal of increased visitation and spending in Pelham.” The JLP grant of $700 to the Hutchinson School PTA will purchase a wealth of new books.According to Carla Tarazi, Principal of The Hutchinson School, “Literacy is an important part of the Hutchinson school experience. The purchase of these books for our library will provide more non-fiction resources for upper grade students and chapter books for emergent readers. At morning meeting, students cheered when they heard about the new books!” The Pelham Community Rowing Association will receive $500 to help defray the cost of entry fees for the PCRA Master Women rowers to race in the Independence Day Regatta inPhiladelphia duringJuly 4-6, 2008. The PCRA is a not-for-profit organization dedicated to promoting rowing for recreational purposes. They are the only community rowing organization located inWestchesterCounty.Historically it has been difficult to secure funding for aspiring regional female athletes at post-college ages. According to Brian Brunelle, Executive Director of PCRA, “The women on the PCRA racing team range in age from 35 to 60, with the majority of women in their 50s. Health and fitness are powerful tools that foster self-esteem and self-sufficiency in an aging population. Providing and encouraging fitness opportunities positively impact their lives.”In addition to enhancing women’s lives through health and fitness, the recognition that “perseverance yields results at any age” is equally meaningful. With the exception of one Master rower who rowed in college, all women rowers are new to rowing and most were well above the age of 45 at the start. Yet, the PCRA Master Women rowers have medaled in virtually every race they entered.