The Lyme Tree Woman’s Exchange Awards Grants to Three Non-Profits

The three recipients of $1,000 grants from The Lyme Tree A Woman’s Exchange in Old Lyme,(from left to right) Kathy Allen of Thames River Community Service, Inc., Kathy Zall of the New London Homeless Hospitality Center, and Robert Wilkins of Dance With Wood, gather for a photo at last Tuesday’s ceremony. All photos by Jacob Ballachino.

A short ceremony was held Tuesday at The Lyme Tree Woman’s Exchange of Old Lyme when grants of $1,000 each were presented to representatives of three local non-profit organizations. The Woman’s Exchange, a non-profit gift shop featuring mostly hand crafted and artisan items made by consignors, as well as jewelry, baby and children’s clothing, antiques and collectables, donates all of its proceeds to other charities.

The three recipient organizations on Tuesday were the New London Homeless Hospitality Center, Thames River Community Service, Inc., and Dance With Wood.

Kathy Zall, Executive Director of the New London Homeless Hospitality Center (third from left) accepts a grant check as she stands with (from left to right) Hilde Reichenbach, Sandy Dowley, and Joan Culbertson, all of The Lyme Tree, A Woman’s Exchange..

The New London Homeless Hospitality Center provides basic necessities such as underwear, socks and toiletries as well as shelter to the homeless.

Kathy Allen of Thames River Community Service, Inc. (second from left) receives her check from The Lyme Tree A Woman’s Exchange.

Thames River Community Service, Inc., supports individuals and families, particularly single mothers, who are moving from shelters into more permanent quarters providing them with start-up packages of dishes, kitchen items, bedding, linens, and so forth.

Robert Wilkins accepts a grant on behalf of Dances with Wood, presented by (from left to right) Hilde Reichenbach, Sandy Dowley, and Joan Culbertson.

Dances with Wood provides wooden kits to seriously ill children in hospitals; the kits include all the parts, tools, and instructions to make boats, boxes, barns, trucks and cars with the aim to empower creativity within hospitalized children.