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WILKES-BARRE — The Luzerne Foundation’s Millennium Circle held its annual Gathering of Friends on Tuesday night just ahead of crunch time — what they call “Millennium Month.”
During the month of October, the philanthropic nonprofit decides which local groups it will support through its grant program.
Tonight is “our opportunity to thank our Millennium Circle members and inform them of what’s going on while encouraging them to make nominations for various needs across our community,” said Charles Barber, the foundation’s president.
The event was held at the Stegmaier Mansion on South Franklin Street.
The Millennium Circle was created in 1999 with the goal of 2,000 benefactors each donating $2,000 to help charitable groups with startup costs or operational expenses.
Circle members themselves can nominate groups to receive these grants. A selection committee narrows the field of potential recipients, and applications are then voted on at the Circle’s annual luncheon.
Grants are typically between $20,000 and $30,000.
Last year, the Hope Center of the Wyoming Valley received a grant. The Luzerne clinic serves uninsured and underinsured residents, with a special focus on veterans and seniors. It is the only local clinic of its kind on the west side of the Susquehanna.
Ron Hillard, founder and director of the Hope Center, spoke about the progress his group has made.
“We provide free medical, free legal, free dental, free chiropractic, free vision, free audiology, and free physical and occupation therapy. We have no paid staff, and we are blessed that way because every dime we get on a donation goes directly into the patient care,” Hillard explained.
“We were blessed to receive the award. We had a mission to help senior citizens with dental care and to help provide services for veterans that they don’t get from other places,” he added.
State Rep. Eddie Day Pashinski, D-Wilkes-Barre, commended the foundation’s efforts.
“The Millennium Circle has done outstanding work for so many projects. It’s difficult to single any one out,” he said. “I think it’s a tremendous example of the community coming together.”
The Millennium Circle grantmaking luncheon is set for noon Oct. 24 at the Best Western Plus Genetti Hotel and Conference Center, 77 E. Market St., Wilkes-Barre.
Anyone interested in learning more about or joining the Circle is invited to attend.