Central Otago applicants for this year’s annual community grants from the Central Otago Masonic Trust received almost $12,000 of the $18,240 total, with the remainder going to organisations in Wānaka, Hāwea, and Wakatipu.

Secretary/treasurer Rory Butler said there were 14 requests this year for grants totalling $41,000, which was considerably beyond the trust’s budget.

The annual grants, for which applications end on March 31 each year, came from Masonic funds, Rory said.

“Members of the lodge in the past have invested wisely over the years and it is the interest on that.”

The Central Otago recipients this year were:

• Alexandra Athletics, $6,000 for a set of hurdles for the junior athletes; 
• Alexandra Air Training Corps, $2,800 for kitchen equipment;
• Clyde School, $1,800 to buy and install stepping logs; and
• Cromwell Youth Trust, 1,390.43 for a desktop computer.