Maryanne Firth / The Tribune

Port Colborne Hydro Inc. opened its wallet to the community on Monday night, providing $20,000 in permissive grants to various organizations.

The grants, handed out twice a year, are moneys received by Port Colborne Hydro through dividends from Canadian Niagara Power. Groups submitted proposals for funding.

The Royal Canadian Air Cadets 79th Lynton Davies Squadron in Port Colborne received $1,500 to assist with the purchase of a flight simulator; Boys and Girls Club of Niagara received $1,000 for its Kid Zone and Teen Zone programs, which operate out of Port Colborne; French Golden Age Club received $3,000 to update its kitchen equipment; Navy League of Canada received $2,900 to update officer and cadet uniforms.

Also, Showboat Festival Theatre received $500 to assist in bringing professional productions to the lakeside city; Port Colborne Concert Band received $2,750 for its concert series that begins the first Thursday in July at H.H. Knoll Lakeview Park; Women’s Place of South Niagara received $250 to assist women and children who have escaped domestic violence; Niagara Antique Power Association received $1,000 to assist with roof repairs on three of its historic buildings; Port Cares received $3,500 for its Reaching Out and Changing Lives capital campaign; Port Colborne Feline Initiative received $1,000 for its Trap-Neuter-Vaccinate-Return (TNVR) program; and Port Colborne Minor Baseball Association received $2,600 to purchase a storage shed to hold equipment.