The Borax Visitor Center Foundation awarded about $20,000 in grants to more than a dozen nonprofits at its annual luncheon at the Visitor Center on May 20.
The Foundation accepts grant applications each year from organizations in the communities of Boron, Desert Lake, North Edwards, Aerial Acres, and Kramer Junction.
Grants totaling over $320,000 and nearly $110,000 in scholarships have been invested in to the community by the Borax Visitor Center Foundation over the past 16 years.
This year 24 grant applications were received requesting almost $40,000 in support. Sixteen grants totaling $19,850 have been awarded by the Foundation for 2017.
Around 35 community members attended Friday’s grant luncheon, provided by Andy’s Pizza of Boron. Isabelle Brassard, General Manager of Rio Tinto Borates California Operations and Foundation Chair, presented the grant checks.
Special recognition was given to grant recipient Sharon Burgess, representing the Boron High School Book Scholarship program. Sharon is retiring this June from Boron High School. Over the last 16 years the program has received a total of $31,250 in grants from the Borax Visitor Center Foundation.
Isabelle presented Sharon with a bouquet from Boron Flowers & Gifts and a small gift form the Borax Visitor Center gift store in recognition of her years of service to the Boron community.
Ms Brassard also recognized another dedicated educator, Joe Barnard who is retiring this year after 33 years of service at Boron High School. Joe received a grant for the Boron High School Honor Roll field trip and a small thank you gift from the Foundation.
The remaining 15 grants were distributed across a range of organizations.
Boron High School received an additional $6,350 for various field trips and programs.
- $500 for Boron Little League
- $400 for Boron Senior Citizens Inc.
- $500 for Reggie’s Kicks for Kids
- $3,300 for West Boron RBL Camp Keep Foundation
- $1,000 for West Boron Elementary PAC
- $1,000 for Wildcats Youth Football and Cheer
- $1,000 for Wind in the Willows Educational Organization
- $3,300 for Muroc Joint Unified School District Summer Swim program
Applications are accepted from non-profit, tax-exempt organizations that focus on education, health and human services, community improvement, or historic preservation.
Funding for grants comes from Borax Visitor Center visitor donations and merchandise sales. In addition, Rio Tinto Borates employees make tax deductible contributions to the Visitor Center Foundation and Rio Tinto Borates matches 50% of every dollar contributed by employees.
The Borax Visitor Center is open daily from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Admission is free and all donations are welcome. School field trips can apply for transport reimbursement through the Foundation.
The Borax Visitor Center is operated by Rio Tinto Borates – Boron Operations, a division of London-based Rio Tinto. Rio Tinto Borates ships approximately one million tons of refined borates from its mining and refining operations in Boron, California, to customers in nearly 100 countries.
Related links
Borax Visitor Center
Borax Visitor Center Foundation