Orrville City Schools educators can apply for restorative activity grants

Dennis Helmuth, Orrville High School Class of 1974, has established a permanent charitable fund through the Wayne County Community Foundation, in collaboration with Superintendent David Toth, to award grants to Orrville City Schools teachers and guidance counselors for healthy, restorative activities or expenses.

The Teacher Appreciation Fund for Orrville City Schools is intended to help educators return to their duties feeling renewed. Helmuth said the fund is a way to recognize the lasting impact Orrville teachers had on his life and career, support that helped him excel academically and ultimately attend medical school at Case Western Reserve and become a psychiatrist.

In establishing the fund, Helmuth cited the growing pressures educators face including meeting the diverse behavioral, mental health and social needs of students while also responding to expectations from the state, administration and families.

Grant requests may include individual or group renewal activities and resources. Examples include a restorative retreat, time in nature, items for a teachers’ lounge, or wellness activities such as yoga, meditation or a spa day.

For the first three years, the fund intends to award up to a total of $8,000 per year, with future annual amounts dependent on the fund’s returns.

Grant applications and additional information are available through the Orrville City Schools Superintendent’s Office. Applications are due Feb. 1 and Sept. 1. A committee comprised of representatives from the superintendent’s office, the mental health profession and the community will review applications and grant awards.

Others who want to support teachers and guidance counselors in Orrville City Schools are welcome to contribute to the fund. Donations may be made payable to the Wayne County Community Foundation, 517 N. Market St., Wooster, OH 44691. Donors should specify “Teacher Appreciation Fund for Orrville City Schools” on the memo line. Donations also can be made online at www.waynecountycommunityfoundation.org/.