The Portage Resale Center’s Youth Council gathered at Bistro 163 recently to award Wish List grants to local groups and organizations. The Youth Council members and their schools are, left to right, Paul Koening and Greta Baudeer of Woodmore, Griffing Heintz of Oak Harbor, Sara Dembowski and Zach Szepiela of Genoa, Kierstin Sherer and Zayne Manning of Port Clinton, John Holzaepfel and Alyssa Rodriguez of Danbury, Advisor Heather Stouffer and Madison McKitrick of Oak Harbor.

The Portage Resale Center has been an outstanding benefactor to the community over the past nine years, with its annual profits providing a wealth of funding to non-profits in need. Behind the scenes, the board of directors has also guided the Portage Resale Center Youth Council, bringing 10 area high school students into its world.

“Our Youth Council students have connected with the community in many ways, and helped the Portage Resale Center with its mission,” said Youth Council Advisor Heather Stouffer. “The students help out at the resale center by assisting buyers, stocking shelves and volunteering to do a lot of tasks.

“We also take monthly tours of Ottawa County businesses so the students can learn more about the community. Our Youth Council has two students from each of the five local schools districts, which are Port Clinton, Danbury, Oak Harbor, Genoa and Woodmore.”

The students annually vote on $5,000 in Wish List Awards, and decide how to award the special grants.

“The requests for Wish List Awards may be small, in comparison to the $175,000 in grants the Portage Resale Center awarded to non-profit agencies last year,” said Stouffer, “but it teaches the students that every little bit helps. If the students can help out with something small, it may enable the organization to help more people.”

The 16 agencies awarded Wish List grants, and what the grants funded, were: Champions for Children, Sphero Bolt and Mat; Riverview Industries, Music Therapy; Family and Child Abuse Prevention Center, Office Supplies; St. Vincent de Paul Food Pantry, Floor Repairs; Oak House, Microwave; Light House Sober Living, Household Supplies; Danbury Food Share Program Inc., Dish Soap and Velveeta Cheese; United Way in Ottawa County, Welcome Home Kits; The Salvation Army Port Clinton Service Center, Gas Cards; Ida Rupp Public Library, Preschool Puppets; Ottawa County Family Advocacy Center, Outing with GrandLOVE Program; Ottawa County Family & Children First Council, Computer Monitor; Joyful Connections, Chromebooks; Bistro 163, Open Sign and Hand Mixer; Friends of the Marblehead Peninsula Branch Library, Holiday Books for Preschool; and Arc of Ottawa County, Art Supplies and Paper Products for Camp.