Commissioner Awards Altrusa International, Inc. of Lake City, FL

John L. Winn, Florida’s Commissioner of Education, awarded Altrusa International, Inc. of Lake City, Florida with a Commissioner’s Business Recognition Award in Daytona Beach on Thursday evening, April 20, 2006.

In presenting the award to this civic organization of professional women, he noted their business partnership with the Columbia County School System for several years.

“Altrusa invests in our schools and students through many areas of support: Scholarships – Two are provided each year to deserving female students, one regular and one Take Stock in Children; Teacher’s Closet – Altrusa supplied over $9,000 in school supplies to elementary school teachers to have on hand for children from financially challenged families; Middle School Female Athletics Project - $1500 worth of equipment and clothing was purchased for three middle school girls’ athletic programs; Classroom Libraries – Altrusa provided funding to purchase five classroom libraries for low performing students at Columbia High School; Volunteers – Members serve as volunteers in all schools. Two Altrusans were selected as Outstanding Volunteers for the 2005-2006 school year; Mentors – Altrusans serve as mentors, meeting weekly with female students in the Take Stock in Children program; ASTRA Club – Members serve as liaisons to the Fort White High School ASTRA Club, an Altrusa sponsored organization for high school girls; Job Shadowing – Students from the ASTRA club shadowed Altrusans in their work environments; and Girls’ Summit – The Service Committee provides a forum for middle-school aged girls to address issues that concern them to support their positive future choices; and to provide positive intergenerational connections between local girls and the women of your community.”

Altrusa was the only recipient of this award for Columbia County. Altrusa International, Inc. of Lake City was chartered in 1982 and there are currently one hundred members. This 19th Annual Commissioner’s Business Recognition Awards event themed “Driving the Future” commended business partnerships statewide that support public education.