COLUMBIANA- The Kiwanis Club of Columbiana held their 2016-2017 Awards Program at Columbiana United Methodist Church on Tuesday, Jan. 17. During the program, local youth organizations and schools were awarded with donations from the Kiwanis Club.

According to Columbiana Kiwanis Club President Sid Wheeler, said a total of $15,000 was donated to the organizations.

All of the money was raised through the 2016 Shelby County Fair, which was sponsored by the Columbiana Kiwanis Club.

“Our fundraiser each year is the Shelby County Fair, and we donate the proceeds from the fair back into the community youth groups,” Wheeler said.

Wheeler said the Columbiana Kiwanis Club has sponsored the Shelby County Fair for 67 years, the fair is the biggest event in the county and it provides service projects for the organizations.

“What we would like to do as a fair is promote a rural lifestyle, and a remembrance of things that happened in the past,” Wheeler said. “To get the kids in the community involved is a learning process for them. It gives these kids something to do and a chance to learn new things outside of school. It’s a great help for us and a great help to them.”

The following organizations received a donation:

–Shelby County High School Key Club

–Boy Scout Troop 560

–Shelby County High School Future Farmers of America

–Montevallo High School Future Farmers of America

–Columbiana Softball

–Cub Scout Pack 560

–Girl Scout Troop 30569

The following schools received a donation:

–Calera High School

–Calera Middle School

–Calera Intermediate School

–Calera Elementary School

–Chelsea High School

–Chelsea Middle School

–Chelsea Park Elementary School

–Columbiana Middle School

–Cornerstone Christian School

–Elvin Hill Elementary School

–Forest Oaks Elementary School

–Montevallo High School

–Montevallo Middle School

–Montevallo Elementary School

–Mt. Laurel Elementary School

–Shelby Elementary School

–Shelby County College and Career Center

–Shelby County High School

–Vincent Elementary School

–Vincent Middle High School

–Wilsonville Elementary School

In addition to making donations to youth organizations, the Columbiana Kiwanis Club has recently established the Junior Fair Board, which will allow young members of the community to help organize the Shelby County Fair in the future.