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Chester County Press

Kennett Run Charities awards $56,500 in grants to local nonprofit organizations

10/31/2017 11:43AM ● By Richard Gaw
By Richard L. Gaw
Staff Writer

On the morning of May 20, more than 1,000 competitors took off from Anson B. Nixon Park in Kennett Square as participants in the 28th annual Kennett Run, and for the next few hours, ran and walked their way through the community.
On October 19, 2017, Kennett Charities, Inc., the fundraising arm of the Kennett Run, gave back to the community that the annual race has dedicated itself to since 1989.
In a ceremony held at Genesis Healthcare in Kennett Square, Kennett Charities President B. Christopher Daney and Race Director J. J. Simon distributed $56,500 to more than 40 local nonprofit organizations.
Grant recipients included the Avondale Fire Company #1; The Barn at Spring Brook Farm; the Brandywine Red Clay Alliance; the Carter Community Development Corp (H.E.L.P.); Community Volunteers in Medicine; the Crime Victims' Center of Chester County, Inc. (CVC); the Domestic Violence Center of Chester County; Family Promise of Southern Chester County; Family Service of Chester County; Friends Boarding Home of Western Quarterly Meeting; Garage Community & Youth Center - Kennett Square and West Grove; Good Neighbors, Inc.; Historic Kennett Square; KATS, Inc. Pantomime; Kennett After School Association; Kennett Area Community Service (Kennett Food Cupboard); Kennett Area Park & Recreation; Kennett Area Park & Recreation -- Kids Run; the Kennett Area Park Authority - Anson B. Nixon Park; the Kennett Area Senior Center; the Kennett Area YMCA; the Kennett Consolidated School District's WIN Program; the Kennett Education Foundation; the Kennett Flash; the Kennett Fire Co. No. 1; the Kennett Library Adult Literacy Program; La Comunidad Hispana; the Land Conservancy for Southern Chester County; the Lions Club of Kennett Square; Living Bridges; the Longwood Fire Company; the Longwood Rotary; Meals on Wheels of Chester County – Avon Grove Chapter; the Oxford Area Neighborhood Services Center; the Po-Mar-Lin Fire Company; the Rotary Club of Kennett Square; the Spanish Health Ministry; the Tick Tock Early Learning Center; Wings for Success; and Young Moms.
To date, Kennett Run Charities has distributed over $1 million in gift and in-kind donations to local groups, schools and organizations, an initiative that began in 1989, when Rotarian Michael R. Perna proposed to the Board of Directors of the Rotary Club of Kennett Square that Rotary join with other Kennett area service clubs to host an event designed to accomplish three major goals: Achieve sustainable camaraderie among Kennett area service organizations and citizens; create goodwill with ethnically, economically, and occupationally diverse groups in the community; and establish a fundraising vehicle that will promote the general well-being and civic pride.
The Kennett Run Charities Board is made up of volunteers from various Kennett Square service organizations including the Rotary Club of Kennett Square, the Rotary Club of Longwood, the Lions Club, the Kennett Area YMCA and various Kennett area citizens.
To contact Staff Writer Richard L. Gaw, email [email protected].