The Westport Woman’s Club presented the 2014 Ruegg Grant Award to ITN Coastal.
ITN is an on call driving service manned by volunteers to aid those who are 60 + and visually impaired. In 2013 ITN provided 5,000 rides. ITN Coastal Ct. provides rides 24/7 within and between the towns of Westport, Weston, Wilton, Fairfield, Norwalk and Easton.
Barbara Raffel, Chair of the Ruegg Grant Committee, said the $5,000 grant is designated to provide an iPad mini to facilitate communications between the dispatcher and drivers while on the road; a Bluetooth projector to help with community outreach presentations; and a new laptop to allow them to use the proprietary software from ITN America
The $5,000 award was accepted by Lynn Goldberg, the ITN Coastal Ct., co-president and Mary Ellen Marpe, ITN Coastal Ct., fundraising chair. Also present were Mary Lee Clayton, WWC President, Ruegg Committee Chair Barbara Raffel and committee members Claire Clark, Susan Hricik, Jo Fuchs Luscombe and Joyce Netherton.
The Ruegg Grant was established in 1985 by an endowment bequeathed to the Westport Woman’s Club by member Lea Ruegg. To date, approximately $165,000 has been awarded to organizations including the Westport Schools Permanent Art Collection, Connecticut Theater Foundation, Westport Public Library, Staples Players, Westport Rotary Club, Toquet Hall, Mercy Learning Center, Interfaith Housing, Westport Senior Center, Nursing and Home Care, Hall-Brooke Hospital, Susan G. Komen for the Cure Ct., Westport Police Department, CLASP Homes and Westport Weston Family Y.
