T-L Photo/GAGE VOTA Treasurer and Secretary of the Friends of Belmont County Juvenile Court Dave Carter, from left, Program Officer of the Community Foundation for the Ohio Valley Jess Puglisi-Sanders and Juvenile/Probate Judge Al Davies pose with the $4,758 check awarded to the Friends of Belmont County Juvenile Court by the CFOV.

ST. CLAIRSVILLE — The Community Foundation for the Ohio Valley awarded $4,758 to the Friends of Belmont County Juvenile Court through the Kenneth R. Dennis Fund on Thursday morning.

“Every fund of the Community Foundation for the Ohio Valley exists to make our communities better places to live, work, play and succeed,” Program Officer of the CFOV Jess Puglisi-Sanders said.

The Kenneth R. Dennis Fund is a field interest vehicle established through a planned gift. The fund is geared toward serving and supporting the youth of Belmont County. It supports programs that lead to better outcomes for our area’s youth, with a special interest in Belmont County’s next generation.

“The diverse programs and opportunities made possible through the Friends of Belmont County Juvenile Court align perfectly with the fund’s intention. It has a special interest in supporting youth in Belmont County. That’s not an exclusive use, but it’s an area of interest that we really try and honor that intention,” Puglisi-Sanders said.

The Friends of Belmont County Juvenile Court plans to put the charitable contribution to good use.

“Those funds are utilized to fund multiple programs here in the juvenile court. Some of the things that we have going on with Belmont County schools, the Staying Clean Club, speakers that we arrange for all of the high schools in the area, whether it’s a speaker that’s recovered from drug and alcohol abuse or mental health trauma or some other types of trauma. We also have our Crossfit program,” Judge Al Davies said. “These funds will be put to real good use for the kids here in Belmont County.”

“The diverse programs and opportunities made possible through the Friends of Belmont County Juvenile Court align perfectly with the fund’s intention,” Puglisi-Sanders concluded.