Ala-Tom RC&D Council

RC&D: Resource Conservation and Development based on community-driven collaboration and communication.

2021

Monroe County Scholarship

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The Monroeville/Monroe County Chamber of Commerce was able to award four college scholarships ($3,000 in total) to high school seniors to further their academic careers thanks to the generous funding from the Ala-Tom RC&D Council.

Two $1,000 each Good Works Scholarships were awarded to Katelynn Woody (Monroe County High School) and Cal Carter (Monroe Academy). The students were selected through an application process that included recommendation letters, essays, high school transcripts, resumes, and college acceptance letters.  The Good Works Scholarship was open to all high school seniors that reside and attend school in Monroe County.

The Monroe County Youth Ambassadors Scholarship was awarded to Justin Hollinger (Monroe County High School) and Karlie Welch (J.U. Blacksher High School). Each student received a $500 college scholarship.  This scholarship was open to current Monroe County Youth Ambassadors. The application process included essays and volunteer hours.

Monroe County is considered an impoverished county and the scholarships will greatly aid these students in pursuing their dreams of college.  The Monroeville/Monroe County Chamber of Commerce would not have been able to award the four scholarships without the generous grant donation from the Ala-Tom RC&D Council.

HHS Varsity Girls Basketball Spirit Packs

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The Varsity Girls Basketball Team has a rich tradition of winning. We were AHSAA Class 3A Regional Runner-Ups.  In the last six years; they have a 97-39 record, 3 Area Championships, 1 Final Four Appearance, 1 Regional Championship, 1 Sweet Sixteen, 2 Elite 8’s, 2 Sub-Regional wins. However, with all of the great accomplishments that have been made by the girl’s basketball team, our budget does not allow for the purchase of new uniforms. With the success of our basketball program, our girls deserve new uniforms. Many of these players participate in multiple sports, therefore, sometimes causing a strain on the parents/guardians. In the past, although we have had numerous fundraisers, parents and coaches have still had to contribute money from their own pockets to help cover team expenses. This year we are anticipating another year of success.

The players are young, but they are looking for an opportunity to be powerful and represent our school with pride. They are eager to make a difference and continue the storied tradition of our basketball program. There is a saying that goes, “If you look good, you feel good. If you feel good, you play well. If you play good, you win!” Although this is not the ultimate goal behind the team uniforms, it does play a major part. As a former player and the Varsity Girls Basketball coach, I feel that the girls are so deserving of new uniforms. Both teams have both powered up and researched different types of uniforms. Something as simple as uniforms has really helped these young athletes understand the meaning of T.E.A.M = Together Everyone Accomplishes More.

Being from a small school in a rural area, many times we fall short of donations because sponsors and companies are drained from donating to multiple organizations. It is a tremendous task to buy new uniforms and purchase spirit packs, as well as perform to the best of their abilities on the basketball court.

GHASA Greenhouse

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GHASA (Grove Hill After-School Adventure) is a 21st Century Community Learning Center (CCLC). We serve students in grades Pre-Kindergarten through Twelfth Grades. Students are housed at one cost center and that is Grove Hill Elementary. Students receive remediation services, STEAM activities, nutritional and physical fitness opportunities, and exposure to community service learning projects.

Upon receiving a greenhouse, one of our goals was accomplished. We strive to provide aid to the Grove Hill Senior Center. The students worked in conjunction with the Clarke County Extension Agency to plant several plants in container beds. The plants were taken care of by students, and they journaled their progress through the duration of growth. After the plants were mature, the students donated the harvest to the Senior Center. Our representative Christine Dickinson was on hand to receive the harvest.

ALL 4 PAWS TNR Program

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ALL 4 PAWS is a local 501(c)3 nonprofit dedicated to supporting the Clarke County Animal Shelter (CCAS) in Grove Hill, Alabama.  Due to limited county funding, ALL 4 PAWS plans projects that will be beneficial for both CCAS and the local community. One such program is a TNR program which stands for Trap, Neuter Release program to control the ever increasing stray/feral animal population in Clarke county. The name given to our program is SNYP which stands for Spay Neuter Your Pet program.

In our first year, ALL 4 PAWS formed a close collaboration with Tuskegee University College of Veterinary Medicine (TUCVM) to help spay/neuter animals at a reduced cost for our SNYP program.  Many citizens have since brought stray animals to be spayed/neutered which has helped control the animal population in their neighborhood.  As such, the TNR project directly benefits CCAS due to the fact that the more animals are fixed, the lesser the number of animals will be brought to CCAS by animal control and/or citizens. Over time, the TNR will help reduce overcrowding at CCAS, especially  felines.

Proper Equipment for Fire Fighters

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This project enabled Pine Hill Volunteer Fire Department to purchase two new sets of turn out gear. The turn out gear the Department has is either outdated or soon to be outdated and in need of replacement.