The Schuylkill County Commissioners are in the process of awarding grants to county nonprofit organizations that lost money during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Wednesday morning, the county commissioners said approximately 50 organizations applied for the grants because they could show losses during the pandemic, between 2019 and 2020.

“Nonprofit organizations are an arm of county government,” said Commissioner Gary Hess. “Without them, what would we do?”

Hess said the Northeastern Pennsylvania Alliance administered the American Recovery Plan Act grants for the county.

Six organizations have grants coming pending their submission of additional information - including Lehigh Valley Health Network, and St. Luke’s Hospital - which are slated to get $20,000 grants each.

Others getting $20,000 grants are: Helping Harvest; Avenues; United Disabilities Services Foundation; Maternal and Family Health Services; Foundation for Agriculture and Resource Management; United Way of Schuylkill; Schuylkill Hope Center for Domestic Violence, and Catholic Charities of the Diocese of Allentown, Inc.

The Tamaqua Area Community Partnership is getting $10,000, and Safer Streets for Tamaqua, The Open Arms Ministry and Open Door Project will receive $5,000 each.

Proclamations

The commissioners approved two proclamations Wednesday.

One proclamation designates April as “Donate Life Month” in honor of those who are organ donors.

The proclamation stated 103,000 Americans are on a waiting list for a donor organ, and more than 5,000 men, women and children in the Gift of Life Donor Program’s region are awaiting a lifesaving transplant.

County residents are urged to consider becoming an organ donor by placing the designation on their driver’s license or state ID card, or registering online at donors1.org.

The other resolution proclaimed April “Duck Month” because on Sunday, April 28, Avenues will hold its 36th annual Duck Race on the banks of Mill Creek in front of the Saint Clair Walmart Supercenter.

Thousands of ducks are available for adoption. All donations from duck adoptions will benefit children and adults participating in vital programs offered by Avenues.

“Without the support we receive in the Duck Race, we would not be able to offer our programs,” said Pete Keistock of Avenues. “We provide services to 300 people in Schuylkill County every day, and 800 people regionally.”

Ducks are for sale at several locations in the county, including the Courthouse cafeteria in the basement, which is manned by Avenues personnel.

Emergency demolition

A home at 129 W. Main St. in Girardville will be demolished after it collapsed Tuesday night.

Commissioner Barron “Boots” Hetherington said he and other county officials were on the phone late Tuesday night after the collapse.

“The home is on the delinquent tax list,” Hetherington said. “It is owned by a New York state woman who could not be located. There was concern because it is next to a park, which was closed. It was condemned, and we identified surplus funds to demolish it.”