Former Mad River Valley resident to receive $7,700 in grant funding
The December grant for $7,700 awarded to Patrick Lonsdale will be used for a new prosthetic leg from Prosthetic Solutions in Santa Clara, Calif. The High Fives Foundation purchased Lonsdale’s current prosthetic leg in February of this year. Loving everything outdoors, and trying to keep up with his children, Lonsdale has progressed past his current prosthetic and will greatly benefit from a new unit.
December’s funding marks the second board-approved grant that Lonsdale has received since becoming a High Fives Foundation Athlete in February 2014. To date, he’s received a total of $17,160 that has been used toward his recovery.
Since the Foundation’s inception in January, 2009, the Winter Empowerment program service has assisted 66 athletes from 19 states in nine respective funding categories which include: living expenses, insurance, travel, health, healing network, adaptive equipment, winter equipment, programs and stoke (positive energy, outlook and attitude). In 2014, the High Fives Foundation has set a budget of disbursing $196,000 via board-approved grants through the Winter Empowerment Fund. Thus far in 2014, 28 High Fives Athletes and two organizations have been awarded a sum of 38 board-approved grants for a total of $249,000.
In the month of December the High Fives Foundation distributed funds to five Winter Empowerment Athletes: Steven Jacobo of Gardnerville, Nev., Jeff Andrews of Truckee, Calif., Patrick Lonsdale of Ben Lomond, Calif., Sally Francklyn of Colorado Springs, Colo. and Jim Harris of Salt Lake City, Utah. The Foundation’s Board of Directors Grant Selection Committee approved a total of $29,354.91 to be used toward the Healing Network, Travel, Living Expenses and Adaptive Equipment funding categories.