The United Church of Ludlow has donated $1,300 to Mountainside of Ludlow. The monies will be used to help Mountainside, a teen runaway shelter located on Mill Street in Ludlow, to refurbish its newly-acquired long-term housing facility in Proctorsville, known as the “House at Twenty Mile Stream”. That facility was badly damaged by a fire shortly after it had been renovated by Mountainside.

This outreach grant is the third quarterly amount donated by United Church to area organizations dedicated to assisting those in need. Previous recipients this year include Meals on Wheels, Hospice, Black River Good Neighbors, and Heifer International.

In announcing the award, David Almond, Chair of the Church’s Growth Committee, said, “I can’t think of a more deserving organization to receive this donation. Mountainside has done a tremendous job of helping kids in need when they had no where else to turn. Now, with the development of the House at Twenty Mile Stream, Mountainside is extending its efforts to help them by offering a bridge for them to an adult environment.”

He noted that the fire had not dampened Viola Wynne’s efforts to provide this new facility and that the United Church of Ludlow was proud to offer a helping hand in her efforts.

Additional Contributions

In addition to the United Church’s donation, Almond also noted that the Salvation Army and an individual member of United Church had both given Mountainside $200 in food for the House at Twenty Mile Stream.

The House at Twenty Mile Stream and Mountainside House are the service-providing arms of Windsor County Youth Services, Inc.

More information is available on the outreach program of United Church of Ludlow by calling 228-4211 or accessing the Church’s Internet web site at www.unitedchurch.us.

Continuing its policy established in 2002, the United Church of Ludlow has donated $1,300 to two area groups that provide support to the area community.

According to David Almond, Chairperson the Church’s Growth and Outreach Committee, $650 was given to both the "Meals on Wheels" program of the Black River Valley Senior Center and the Hospice unit of the Visiting Nurse Alliance of Vermont. This represented the quarterly donation from the Church for the period ending March 31.

"As a matter of Church policy," Almond said, "we have decided to donate 10% of our estimated revenue to area groups that provide outstanding services and support to the greater Ludlow area." He noted that the Church has made significant donations to Black River Good Neighbors (BRGN) and Heifer International in prior years. Thus far the total contributed as outreach donations amounts to $5,200 in the past 18 months. $3250 of this total was awarded to BRGN, $650 to Heifer, plus the $1,300 awarded to "Meals on Wheels" and Hospice.

The award to "Meals on Wheels" was presented to Richard North, Executive Director of the Center, by Winona Spaulding, a member of United Church and Center volunteer. The Hospice award will be made in the near future according to Ray LaVanway, Church Treasurer.

Both Almond and LaVanway cited the intention of United Church to continue to provide outreach contributions. In its initial year, United Church set aside 5% of its estimated revenue as amounts to be donated to area groups providing needed services to the community. In the current year, the amount of the funding for such donations has been doubled. "We intend to keep raising this level of involvement within the community each year," said Almond. "After all, one of the principal reasons for our existence is to serve the worldly needs of our neighbors as well as the spiritual."

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