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Laurel Lake mentors, Seton Catholic School students
award $10,000 in "Habits of the Heart" community grants

Seton Catholic School students and Laurel Lake residents serving on the intergenerational board of Seniors and Youth: Partners in Philanthropy (SAYPIP) recently announced $10,000 in grants to local charities.

"Habits of the Heart: A Youth Education Program in Philanthropy" is designed to engage and prepare young people to carry on the American philanthropic tradition. The nine-month service learning curriculum pairs a select group of 8th grade students from Seton Catholic School with older adult mentors from Laurel Lake Retirement Community to serve on an intergenerational philanthropy board. Together, the members practice the grant-making process as they develop a purpose statement and grant guidelines, call for proposals from the local community, review and consider funding requests and allocate $10,000 in community grants.

The program, now in its second year, is once again funded by The Burton D. Morgan Foundation.

Eight local nonprofit organizations have been selected to receive grants in 2010:

  • 4-H Equestrian Challenge will receive $1,000 to help disabled children attend and compete in the 2010 Summit County Fair equestrian programs.

  • Children of Ubumi will receive $500 to purchase desktop computers and hire an instructor to teach basic computer skills to orphans in Ubumi (Zambia, Africa).

  • Coalition for Children’s Mental Health will receive $1,000 for "What a Difference a Friend Makes," a special program in May 2010 highlighting how pets enrich the lives of children, and to increase awareness of mental health issues.

  • Hudson Bandstand Committee will receive $1,000 to sponsor the 33rd Annual Hudson Summer Music Festival.

  • Hudson Community Service will receive $3,200 to support the "Helping Hand" program, providing assistance to struggling local families with children.

  • Hudson High Music Association will receive $500 to support the Hudson High School Orchestra.

  • Hudson Player’s Guild will receive $2,000 toward the replacement of curtains, rigging and fly system.

  • Hudson Fire Department Association will receive $1,000 to support an annual scholarship for a graduating Hudson senior who is pursuing a degree in Public Safety.

Laurel Lake residents who serve as mentors draw from their own experiences as community leaders and philanthropists, having served on the boards of numerous nonprofit organizations including The United Way, The Cleveland Foundation and others. The tradition of philanthropy and volunteerism is strong among Laurel Lake residents, who are eager to share their knowledge with future generations.

Seton Catholic School received the 2008 Catholic Schools for Tomorrow Award for its implementation of the "Habits of the Heart" curriculum. Project staff were invited to present a workshop for the 13th Annual Youth Philanthropy and Service Workshop sponsored by the Mandel Center's YPS program at Case Western Reserve University in February 2009.

Serving on this year’s grantmaking board were Seton students Abbey Cerroni, Maddie Goosmann, Audrey Fetsko, Miranda Fetterman, Alex Lauria, Anthony Lupica, Mackenzie Nolte and Erica Steinel; and Laurel Lake mentors Sally Davies, Gerry Jones, Rosanne Massey, Les Massey, Jack Phipps, Ruth deWolfe, Patricia Ludwig and Maxine Shiffman.

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Laurel Lake Retirement Community offers a remarkable lifestyle choice for adults who wish to continue leading active lives filled with travel, fitness, volunteer, work, cultural and lifelong learning pursuits. To learn more about this not-for-profit continuing care retirement community offering multiple home styles within a 150-acre campus in historic Hudson, call 1-866-650-2100 or visit www.laurellake.org. Laurel Lake is a member of Catholic Healthcare Partners.