The Club held this Wednesday’s lunch at Anthony’s Cabana where we honored none other than “Mr Anthony’s” himself,  founder Budd Gould, for his service to the community.

Anacortes Rotary & Anthony’s have been working together since 2011. The first Rotary dinner was hosted on January 17th and actually took place BEFORE Anthony’s official opening a few days later.  Then as now, ALL proceeds from dinner—not just the profits—went to the community.  That means Budd & Anthony’s have been generously donating the venue, the food, and their staff’s time to Anacortes for the last 11 years! 

10 dinners have raised a total of $200,000.  The money has supported a wide range of projects, causes and organizations, everything from the American Legion, Fidalgo Pool and the Anacortes Family Center to the Salvation Army, Hospice of the Northwest and the Anacortes Library. Money has gone to the Anacortes Senior Center, the Anacortes Waterfront Alliance and the Ready to Learn Fair.

Many grants have gone to programs at our elementary and secondary schools. They include but are not limited to:

• Support for the Robotics program and the Metals Club at Anacortes High School.

• Literacy nights at all Elementary schools.

• Ovens to support the Garden to Kitchen program at Anacortes Middle School.

Donations have been large: We gave the Boys & Girls Club 21,000 in 2014. And some have been small: We gave the AHS Spanish Dept. $169 in 2018 for supplemental Spanish magazines. Most grants fall in the $2,000 to $5,000 range.

There have been 32 recipients over the 10 years - some groups have received more than one grant - and 48 grants in all.  The Giving Committee, led by Rotarian Jack Darnton, has been overseeing the grant program since 2016 and making recipient recommendations to the Board.

All the grants have touched people in our community. Anthony’s generosity has made Anacortes a better place in so many ways. The gorgeous summer weather and the the Cabana provided the perfect day and place to thank Bud and Anthony’s once more for this wonderful partnership.

Anacortes Rotary Club members heard from many of this year’s grant recipients at its May 18 lunch meeting, including Anacortes School District leaders who accepted a check for $20,600 to support teacher training for its Science of Reading initiative. Funds came from last fall’s successful fundraising campaign.

Representatives of six organizations receiving grants funded by the recent Anthony’s Dinner were on hand to explain how their funds would be used.

• Fidalgo Pool received a $3,000 grant to support lifeguard training and certification.

• Fiddlehead Montessori received a $1,500 grant for curriculum materials as it expands to serve preschool and kindergarten students.

• The Anacortes Waterfront Alliance received a $1,350 grant for a new racing team sail.

• Fidalgo DanceWorks received a $2,000 grant for its Dance for Parkinson’s class.

• Transition Fidalgo received a $1,000 grant for Anacortes Middle School garden renovations.

• Island Hospital Foundation received a $2,000 grant for its Reach Out & Read program that makes early literacy a standard part of pediatric primary care for low-income families.

Anthony’s grants also went to the Anacortes High School Metals Club ($3,000), special ed programs at Fidalgo Elementary and Island View Elementary ($1,300), Literacy Nights at Fidalgo, Island View and Mount Erie elementary schools ($1,500), Anacortes Parks & Recreation ($2,600), Ready to Learn Fair ($2,000), Reading is Fundamental ($2,000) and Anacortes Boys & Girls Club ($2,000).

Anthony’s grants totaled $25,100, the largest amount ever thanks to the work of Lindy Reno and her team and great support from club members.

From left: Anacortes Rotary Club President Dan Worra; Angie Miller, Anacortes School District Director of Teaching and Learning; Dr. Becky Clifford, Anacortes School District Assistant Superintendent of Teaching, Learning and Inclusive Services; and Dr. Justin Irish, Anacortes School District Superintendent.