COUNTY COMMUNITY ENHANCEMENT GRANT RECIPIENTS ANNOUNCED IN DIANNE JACOB'S DISTRICT

By Miriam Raftery

July 13, 2015 (San Diego’s East County) – The County has announced the recipients of $833,000 in community enhancement grants awarded in District 2, represented by Supervisor Dianne Jacob, who recommended the awards.

East County Magazine’s parent nonprofit, the Heartland Coalition, is among the recipients, receiving $3,038 for production of East County Magazine’s “Destination East County” radio show. 

The largest award went to the Julian Chamber of Commerce for its marketing, promoting tourism and operational budget.  Other substantial awards included $65,000 for the San Diego East Visitors Bureau to run the Welcome Center in Alpine,  $60,000 for the Ramona Chamber of Commerce events and operations, $55,000  each to the Alpine, Lakeside and Spring Valley Chambers, $40,000 to the East County Economic Development Council for promotion of economic development, $40,000 to the Pacific Southwest Railway Museum Association for facility improvements, and $37,920 for the Ramona HEART Mural Project to create historic murals on Main Street.

Grants included funds for community events such as the CHIRP wildlife garden tour, the Mother Goose Parade in El Cajon, Julian’s 4^th of July parade, Julian Arts Guild shows and studio tours,  Julian Merchants Association events such as Apple Days and Country Christmas, a lecture series in Lemon Grove, and the Boo! Parade in the College area.

The Alpine area received several  other grant allocations including funds allocated for park improvements at the Alpine Community Center, facility improvements to the new Alpine Library, and maintenance/repairs for the Alpine Community Center and Alpine Woman’s Club.

Several museums, historical societies and parks benefitted including Heritage of the Americas Museum, Historic Highway 80 Corporation, Julian Pioneer Museum, Lakeside Historical Society, Lemon Grove Histrical Society, Mountain Empire Historical Society (Gaskill Brothers’ Stone Store Museum) the Motor Transport Museum, Julian Hisotrical Society, Olaf Wieghorst Museum Foundation,  Mission Trails Regional Park Foundation, Poway Historical and Memorial Society, Ramona Pioneer Historical Society, Santee Historical Society, and Spring Valley Historical Society (Bancroft Ranch House Museum).

The Water Conservation Garden picked up $13,000 for marketing to promote its Butterfly Pavilion and annual Butterfly Festival and water-saving landscapes amid current drought conditions.

Several community revitalization groups got funds including the Jacumba-Boulevard Revitalization Alliance (for new signage, lights and flowering desert trees, picnic tables and more), and the Maine Avenue Revitalization Association (to maintain historic building facades and a painting of early Lakeside murals).

The Poway Performing Arts Company and the Poway Center for the Performing Arts received operational budget funding for marketing and a performing arts program serving K-12 school students.

San Diego East County Chamber of Commerce received $5,000 for marketing and promotion of East County horse ranches, while the Poway Valley Therapeutic Riding Center got funds for helping change lives through therapeutic riding instruction. 

St. Madeleine Sophie’s Training Center, which helps developmentally disabled adults, received a modest $1,000 for operation of its Sophie’s Organic Garden.

For a full list of Community Enhancement Grant recipients for 2015-16 in District 2,