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BY FRED PETKE

Sun Reporter

n a year where many people and non-profits struggled financially, the 2020 Good Giving Challenge was a record breaking event.

The annual event from the Blue Grass Community Foundation and Smiley Pete Publishing helps non-profits in central Kentucky raise funds,

Friday morning, checks were announced for 25 non-profits in Clark County totaling $594,457.48.

“That is amazing,” Blue Grass Community Foundation General Counsel Halee Cunningham said during a virtual check presentation. “It’s the biggest amount we’ve given out in the 10 years of the Good Giving Challenge.”

This year’s challenge ran from Dec. 1-9, 2020.

In Clark County alone, Cunningham said there was more than $360,000 in donations, matched by $213.228 from the Clark County Community Foundation and another $36,223.47 in other matches and prizes.

Throughout the region, nearly $2.4 million was raised during the 2020 challenge. This year’s total marked a 30% increase over 2019’s $1.68 million raised.

“I wanted to make sure we celebrated all your hard work in the Good Giving Challenge in the last 10 years in general,” Cunningham said.

The following grants were announced Friday:

• Achieving Recovery Together, $22,140.81

• BCTC Winchester: $28,182.88

• Bluegrass Heritage Museum, $29,379.05

• Clark County Community Services, $41,925.65

• Clark County Homeless Coalition, $46,721.29

• Clark County Youth Sports Association, $20,498.83

• Friends of Hemp, $7,632.73

• Friends of the Clark County Animal Shelter, $22,007.74

• Habitat for Humanity of Madison and Clark Counties, $24,885.39

• Holly Rood, $11,656.68

• Hospice East, $11,719.15

• Leeds Theater, $33,097.30

• Legacy Greenscapes, $19,910.34

• Life for Pets, $19,491.21

• Marco Shemwell Foundation, $11,143.81

• New Beginnings of Winchester, $33,084.45

• Partners In Education of Clark County, $21,245.28

• Rose Mary C. Brooks Place, $21,047.61

• Rowland Arts Center, $24,578.96

• St. Agatha Academy, $29,097.80

• STRIDE, $61,429.57

• Swimchester Sailfish, $18,597.03

• Beacon of Hope Emergency Shelter, $22,675.32

• Winchester-Clark County Farmers Market, $7,624.25

• Winchester Community Work Group, $4,684.34

Cunningham said the actual checks were mailed Thursday.

“Congratulations on a very exciting challenge and a very challenging year,” she said.