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The Rockingham Rotary Club awarded more than $56,000 in grants to various non-profit organizations last year — 67 organizations applied for funds, and 42 were chosen as recipients.

This year, the organization will again be awarding grants in excess of $55,000.

The deadline to apply is Friday, March 30, 2012.

“We’ve mailed out grant applications to the organizations that have expressed an interest in applying in the past,” said incoming Rotary president, Rick Bacon. “It’s not too late to request an application. Anyone interested in applying can just contact me and let me know that you’d like an application, and I can either email or mail it.”

Each year, the Rockingham Rotary Club raises funds through the annual Rotary Auction. The club uses the profits to benefit community organizations.

New Horizons, the emergency domestic violence shelter for women and children in Richmond County, was one of the grant recipients last year.

“The money we received last year went directly to help fund our shelter operations,” said Executive Director Crystal McLendon. “The application process isn’t complicated or intimidating. We plan to apply again this year.”

The club has traditionally distributed grants ranging from $250 to $2,000 to various non-profit, educational and governmental groups in Richmond County.

A few organizations that have received past grants include: Habitat for Humanity; Our Daily Bread; Ellerbe Rescue Squad; Richmond County Senior Games; Backpack Pals; Samaritan Colony; Crimestoppers; and the Presbyterian New Shoes Project.

“In an effort to ensure that everyone who is interested in applying gets an application, we are trying to get the word out that now is the time to make your request,” said Bacon. “This is one reason Rockingham Rotary works hard all year. We want to help the organizations in our community, but the only way that we will know your group could use a grant is if you apply.”

To contact Bacon for a grant application, email rbacon@heartlandpublications.com or call 910-331-3090.

— Staff Writer Kelli Easterling can be reached at 910-997-3111, ext. 18, or by email at keasterling@heartlandpublications.com.