The Petrolia Community Foundation kicked off 2021 by giving a number of community organizations a hand.

Foundation Executive Director Jane Anema says $10,500 in micro grants have been given out to the following groups:

This year those grants went to :

• $ 1,500 to Charlotte Eleanor Englehart Hospital Foundation for the purchase of a blanket warmer

• $2,000 to Parents for Parks  for the building of a fully accessible play structure in Greenwood Park  The group has raised nearly 50 per cent of the estimated $350,000 and hope to break ground this spring.

• $1,500 to the YMCA for a bench in the outside play space.

• $1,500 to Queen Elizabeth School for a refrigerator for the milk program

• $1500 to Hillcrest School towards the redevelopment of the play ground

• $1,000 to the Lambton Young Theatre Players to restart its program. The group hopes to stage Robin Hood in the fall.

• $1,000 to Wyoming Minor Ball Association for new uniforms for some of its 400 players.

Anema says the foundation has also helped citizens make more than $15,000 in donations to the Petrolia Discovery Foundation, Lambton Youth Choir and the Petrolia Food Bank this year.

The announcement was made Jan.1 during the Town of Petrolia’s virtual New Years’ Day Levee. The annual event to welcome the new year had to be held in a different format this year because of the COVID-19 pandemic.

In his address on the video, Mayor Brad Loosley expressed hope for a better 2021 adding Petrolia has weathered the pandemic together.

“I could not be more proud of our community….the way you have all worked together…it can only be described as incredible,” he says.