KOVAR

Since 1971 KOVAR has donated over $1.3M to Special Olympics Virginia to support State Games. The honoree for this year’s $25,000 grant supporting Fall Championships in Virginia Beach is Ann-Marie Cochran. Ann-Marie has been a Special Olympics coach for a dozen years, is part of the team that runs the golf event during Fall Championships and is Area 2 Coordinator. Ann-Marie has devoted the past decade to improving the lives of Virginians with Intellectual Disabilities.

Pictured with Ann-Marie is Special Olympics Virginia President & CEO David Thomason, KOVAR Borad Member and past President John Cochran, and Virginia Knights of Columbus State Secretary Trey Hart.

The Virginia Knights of Columbus, District 1, held its 4th annual KOVAR fundraising bowling tournament in Norfolk on Saturday (August 24, 2024). Many joined in the fun at the AMF Lanes. Local councils donated some great door prizes which were a hit for the crowd. Everyone had an outstanding time. The winners were Virginians with Intellectual Disabilities, who will receive the benefit of the funds.

KOVAR provided a $19,094 grant to The Hampton Newport News Community Service Board (HNNCSB) to help the Creative Options Program, a day program catering to persons with intellectual disabilities. HNNCSB Creative Options operates five days per week providing activities for up to 50 adult clients daily. The grant helped outfit a sensory room and provided other items to support the day program to include new furniture, television, games, and computer equipment and software to be used by the clients to obtain instructional training.

Jim Hines, KOVAR Chairman for Council 17189 in Yorktown, was selected the honoree for this grant. KOVAR Director John Cochran presented Jim the Honoree Plaque at the council’s June meeting (GK Rick Gausmann also pictured). Jim, Rick, and John took a tour of Creative Options in July.

Jim Hines and John Cochran join Paula Malinowski, Creative Options Supervisor and Carol McCarthy, Director of Developmental Services, for a photograph with the honoree plaques after the tour of Creative Options. Creative Options will keep the smaller plaque to display at their facility.

KOVAR awarded $18,000 to Holiday House of Portsmouth for three projects; to complete security and safety work begun in 2020 with another KOVAR grant, create an isolation area for instances when residents test positive for COVID, and replace seven interior doors to ensure compliance with federal guidelines to meet Life Safety Codes.

Holiday House is an Intermediate Care Facility servicing 28 intellectually disabled children aged 4 to 21. The facility operates 24 hours per day and began operations in 1971. The residents come from across the State of Virginia. The Facility provides excellent rehabilitative service in a home-like environment through quality health care, therapy, and educational opportunities.

Grant Honoree is Ronnie Ratliff who has been with Holiday House for 45 years, the last 21 as Chief Administrative Officer. Pictured with Ronnie are KOVAR Board Members John Cochran (L) and Dan Doyle.

L to R: Charles, Karen, Sean, Caroline O’Rouke, Vance and Renate Stewart.

Vance Stewart (KOVAR Director) attended the ribbon cutting for the art studio at The Arc of the Piedmont in Charlottesville.

An amazing transformation of a dilapidated, unusable basement into a warm and vibrant space for clients to create art. They were grateful for our grant and several board members mentioned our long partnership through previous grants.

Vance presented the honoree plaque in memory of PGK Tom O’Rouke, which was accepted by his son Sean, his wife Karen (who works at The Arc) and their two children. They were moved by the recognition.

Had positive coverage from the local CBS station, great to see coverage of a ‘good news’ piece for once!

Click here to see the CBS19 coverage video

KOVAR is honored to work with great charitable organizations like Richmond Residential Services, Inc. in assisting Virginians with Intellectual Disabilities. KOVAR recently made a grant for $20K to assist with furnishings for Richmond Residential's homes.

Grant 24-16 to NW Works. Pictured are Honoree PGK Bill Melvin, Council 3572 in Winchester. Carly Stoliker NW Works/ Steve Cantu Council 3572/ Mike Carducci KOVAR Board/ Steve Wence Council 3572/ Kevin McGrath Council 3572/ Bill Melvin Council 3572/ Jay Skidmore Council 3572/ Skip Phillips NW Works/ Ken Savoie Council 3572/ Vance Stewart KOVAR Board/ Pete Ziolkowski Council 3572

Grant 24-11 to Blue Ridge Opportunities. Pictured are Honoree PGK Darryl Adams, Council 7771 in Front Royal. Cathy Wolfe, Executive Director/ Vance Stewart KOVAR Board/ Darryl Adams Council 7771/ Mike Carducci KOVAR Board

Plaque presented by Director Kevin Parry to Taylor Perkins of Craveables. They received a grant for their ice cream food truck equipment and supplies.

Plaque presented by Director Kevin Parry Honoree Genevieve Weaver for the Cravables grant. Some pictures of Cravable employees.

More Pictures of some of the Cravable employees

More pictures of some of the Cravable employees

Presentation to PGK Sam Morthland at 7992 Council Meeting for a grant to Bishop O'Connel High School Expanded Services program

This is a presentation by Director Kevin Parry to Melissa Leecy (on the left) of enCircle for a grant we provided for furniture for 2 of their day-support facilities. The honorees in the middle are Larry and Allynne Schoff, two of their most devoted volunteers, who also provided a large donation to enCircle.

KOVAR plaque presented to Molly Whalen of Best Buddies. The honoree was Bill Crowder, President of Marian Homes

Presentation of the plaque for the Cora Kelly PTA KOVAR grant for a sensory room. The picture includes MarCinda Buttie (PTA President), Jim McCracken (Honoree) and Chuck Curran (KOVAR Director) and Ms. Jasibi Crews (Principal)

Special Persons Mailing Service (SPMS) received a grant from KOVAR for $20,000 to repair their roof, install new gutters, fix multiple places inside with water damage, and fix and repave most of their parking lot. The paving also included adding a new asphalt ramp to help the worker access the building. SPMS was founded 30 years ago to provide employment opportunities for persons with Intellectual Disabilities (ID) while fulfilling a need to community businesses for mailing services.(cont. next column)

(SPMS Cont.)
Their mission is to develop motor skills, improve socialization skills, and bolster self-confidence for mentally handicapped adults. They have sixteen workers, all with ID, and are managed by a board of volunteers and one paid employee. Grant honoree Jack Lapke, Council 10804 and a board member for SPMS with KOVAR Directors Dan Doyle and John Cochran.

Employees and Manager Kristen Hart join Jack and John in the newly paved parking lot next to the new access ramp.

The Ability Center of Virginia (formerly Cerebral Palsy of Virginia) received a grant from KOVAR for almost $19,000 to make significant upgrades to their activity room and install a new security and monitoring system. The Ability Center was established in 1984 with the mission to provide high-quality programs and services to support the needs of individuals with intellectual, physical, and developmental disabilities. Their programs are designed to promote community engagement and access, inclusion, personal independence, and the establishment of positive relationships between people with and without disabilities. The Ability Center of Virginia (ACVA) provides programs and services to children and adults with disabilities throughout Hampton Roads, regardless of an individual’s ability to pay for services. (Pictures and continuation in next column)

(Ability Center Cont.)

Grant Honoree Ed Hobbs (holding plaque in back) joined KOVAR Directors Dan Doyle and John Cochran for a tour of the Ability Center. Participants of the day program joined Dan, Ed, and John for this picture. You can see the new flooring in the activity room, plus some of the new storage cabinets.

Grant Honoree PGK Ed Hobbs Council 12117 (left) was presented his plaque at the Council Christmas Party by KOVAR Director John Cochran.

The presentation of an Honoree plaque to Julie Clinch of the Ladies of Council 6292 recognizing her many efforts in behalf of KOVAR and Persons with Intellectual Disabilities by KOVAR Director Chuck Curran.

KOVAR Director Mike Carducci presenting the plaque to SimplyBe Coffee.

SimplyBe Coffee is so grateful to be one of the 2023 KOVAR grant recipients! The award includes recognition of our contributions to Virginians with Intellectual Disabilities and the funds will be used for updating equipment at SimplyBe to better serve our customers. Grants like this have a HUGE impact on our ability to continue to provide work opportunities for individuals with special needs. Thank you, KOVAR, for supporting #coffeewithacause!

Plaque is placed for all to see at SimplyBe Coffee.

KOVAR Vice President of Fundraising, Barry Holland, presented a grant plaque to Dr. Megan McGavern D.O. MS FACP at Cole’s Horse Autism Therapy Station [C.H.A.T.S.], 100 Old Pond Rd., Yorktown, VA. C.H.A.T.S. does great work - KOVAR is pleased to help them do so!

Brian Ripple presenting plaque to staff at Loveables – Chris’ Coffee Shop in Roanoke. This was taken on their food truck.
KOVAR is proud to partner with LovABLE Services, Inc. as they provide comprehensive job training for Virginians with Intellectual Disabilities. While currently at Chris' Coffee and Custard shop in Roanoke, the organization's focus is to enable its employees to have more opportunities to be integrated in the community, and to increase their social, communication, and vocalization skills to enhance their independence and employability.

KOVAR proudly and thankfully presented four Councils with awards at the Virginia Knights of Columbus State Mid-Year Meeting Saturday 1/13/24.
President, Eddie Whitlock, delivered the KOVAR Report, and Immediate Past President, John Cochran, present four plaques for the
2022-2023 fiscal year as follows:

Largest Per Capita Donation: John J. Cempre Council 6328, Culpeper.

Largest Council Donation: John C. Webb Council 12134, Fincastle.

Special Achievement Award: Our Lady of the Rosary Council # 12982.

Special Achievement Award: St. Edward’s Council # 6546.

Thank you to all Virginia Knights for what you do for KOVAR and for all Virginians with Intellectual Disabilities that we serve!.

KOVAR congratulates Alleghany Highlands Community Services for 40 years of Excellence! We are honored to work with you, and we are humbled by your Appreciation Award to us. Here is to 40 more years of great charitable work

Eddie Whitlock and Mike Szablak presenting grant plaque

Eddie Whitlock was honored to deliver the KOVAR report at the Virginia State Council Knights of Columbus Fall Quarterly Meeting 2023 today - there was great energy and a large number of Knights committed to raising funds for KOVAR.