2 Area Nonprofits Win Times Grants

Two Ventura County groups were among five nonprofit organizations to receive grants Wednesday for their exemplary efforts on behalf of others at the Los Angeles Times Valley and Ventura County editions’ 1999 Community Partnership Awards.

At the program, held during a luncheon at The Times’ Valley Edition offices in Chatsworth, Valley-area and Ventura County organizations, along with two volunteers, accepted a total of $35,000 in grants.

“Supporting outstanding nonprofit programs is part of The Times’ ongoing commitment to the communities we serve,” said Julia C. Wilson, president of The Times’ Valley and Ventura editions. “We are proud to recognize organizations which are providing the vital services that make a difference in people’s lives.”

The $5,000 awards honor and support programs in Ventura County and in the San Fernando, Santa Clarita and Antelope valleys. Organizations were honored in five categories.

The winners from Ventura County were Livingston Memorial Visiting Nurse Assn. of Ventura County in the category of health services and Children’s Services Auxiliary of Ventura County and its Kids’ Art program in the cultural arts category.

Other winners were Antelope Valley Special Olympics in social services; Future Leaders of America, San Fernando Affiliate for youth and education services; and D.O.L.L.S. Inc. of Calabasas for senior citizen services. Individual volunteers who received awards were Betty Ramos Wexler, an adult literacy volunteer, whose award grant will go to the San Fernando Valley chapter of Rolling Readers USA, and Brandon J. Keefe, 13, in the category of youth literacy volunteer, whose award will be presented to BookEnds, a literacy project in West Hills. Winners were selected by a seven-member panel of judges recruited from community and business leaders in Ventura County and the San Fernando Valley.