GALLERY: Wiregrass RC&D presents $50,000 in grants to local agencies
Published 4:30 pm Tuesday, March 25, 2025
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The Carver Community
Center in Florala received
$5,000 for its senior meals program. (PHOTO BY ROBERT BLANKENSHIP)
$10,000 was provided to the City of Florala to upgrade the lighting for an emergency helipad. (PHOTO BY ROBERT BLANKENSHIP)
The Covington County 4-H program received $5,000 to promote citizenship, animal science, STEM, and other
educational topics for Covington County students. (PHOTO BY ROBERT BLANKENSHIP)
The Florala Volunteer Fire
Department was awarded $7,500 for the purchase
of battery-operated tools to be placed on the fire engines. (PHOTO BY ROBERT BLANKENSHIP)
Florala’s Friends of Lake Jackson volunteer program received $5,000
to install and replace
public-use grills within the recreational area. (PHOTO BY ROBERT BLANKENSHIP)
The Opp Fire Department
received $7,500 to upgrade electronical
and sonar equipment on
the department’s rescue boat. (PHOTO BY ROBERT BLANKENSHIP)
Officials with the Wiregrass Resource Conservation and Development Council presented $40,000 in grants to Covington County organizations Tuesday morning.
During a ceremony at Florala’s Rodney J. Evans Civic Center, officials with WRC&D joined with State Senator Josh Carnley in presenting a total of seven grants. Grants are awarded based on meeting certain criteria, including land conservation and management, water management, community development and innovation. Carnley said WRC&D grants help meet specific needs for the communities it serves.
“We appreciate each of you and everything you do within your communities. We also thank WRC&D and their council members. We often hear of different needs within our communities and they help to make sure these funds are going to great projects that have a big impact on people,” Carnley said.
Five organizations received grants of $5,000 each while two others each received $7,500. In separate funding, the City of Florala received $10,000 to install new LED lights and a wind sock pole around the city’s emergency heliport pad.
“This project will make the helipad safer and better for the pilots. The pilots don’t have the best view coming in so this will help,” said Florala Fire Chief Anthony Jones.
The Florala Volunteer Fire Department received $7,500 for the purchase of battery-powered tools for use on fire engines.
Also receiving a grant of $7,500 was the Opp Fire Department which will use the funds for electronics and sonar upgrades for its rescue boat. Chief Cory Spurlin said the new equipment will help his department in meeting specific needs in water search and rescue operations.
The Covington County Soil and Water Conservation District was awarded a $5,000 grant to provide additional support and curriculum for conservation education at elementary schools in Covington County.
Florala High School received $5,000 to update the school’s softball field and facilities.
The Covington County Extension Office received a $5,000 grant to enhance its efforts in teaching young people in a wide range of areas, including citizenship, animal science, health, technology, and STEM topics.
The Carver Community Center of Florala received $5,000 to help provide meals to senior citizens. The center’s program serves an average of 81 meals to seniors on the first Saturday of each month.
The Friends of Lake Jackson in Florala received $5,000 to install and replace grills around the lake.
WRC&D awards grants annually and the application process is held from April through June. For more information visit wiregrassrcd.com.
Source: Andalusia Star
