PORTSMOUTH— The Portsmouth Area Ladies (PALS) are nearing another grant deadline, as they close quarter three applications for 2024. The group is composed of a plethora of dedicated women who live and work in the Portsmouth community and aim to improve the quality of life in the area through microgrants, and, sometimes, larger grants, based on scope of project.

The group’s mission statement follows, “Portsmouth Area Ladies, Inc. (PALS) will engage in fundraising events and activities using volunteers to support charitable needs and organizations that will improve the quality of life and the changing needs of the residents in Portsmouth and the surrounding area. PALS will cooperate with other not-for-profit organizations when appropriate and address the needs of community children which are not being met by other organizations. The Portsmouth Area Ladies Inc. (PALS) is a 501C3 organization”

There are a lot of reasons PALS members participate in the program. To President and longtime member, Tami Davis, the answer is obvious.

“I think it was instilled in me a long time ago that I should do all I can to help people. If I can help people through PALS, that’s what I want to do,” Davis explained. “I enjoy helping people. I always have. For the longest time, I was involved in events at the Southern Ohio Medical Center. Programs like Hollydays and Festival of Trees, the Horse Show, working in the fair booth, working to raise money for the Guilds to use to help the hospital with new equipment, build the Friends Center, etc. When the Friends of SOMC group was no longer, several of the ladies that had been involved wanted to stay involved and formed PALS. I was one of the founding members. We decided we would work to make a difference in the community through fundraising and helping others by providing them funds.”

The non-profit spends the year fundraising through reverse raffles, purse bingos and more to raise funding that they then divert to other non-profits who offer social programming, community development and more. They also offer scholarships.

In addition to their fundraising for grants, the group also volunteers at the MLK Breakfast and recently donated Christmas trees and decorations to the residents of Hisle Park Apartments, with the help of Big Lots, which made the season possible for many of the young community members.

The group recently held its Spring Fling Cha-Ching Reverse Lottery, which raised around $5,000. Currently, the group is preparing for the fall Designer Purse event.

That event is scheduled for September 22. At the event, many purses and prizes will be given away to those 18 and older. Admission to that event is $21.50 online or $20 from a PALS member, at the Community Action Organization Scioto County Welcome Center or at Morgan Brothers Jewelers. The bingo event will give away purses during 15 different games and have additional treats and prizes.

“We will also have a raffle for a ‘Money Purse’ which includes a Kate Spade Weekender bag, lots of travel related items and $500 in cash!! Those tickets are available for pre-sale as well from any PALS Member or on our website. It’s a fun-filled day with a raffle of ‘gently’ used purses, split-the-pot and food will be available as well.”

Their grant application is an easy process that can be found online at portsmouthpals.org.

Davis explained that any area non-profit can apply, and the group does give priority.

“We support anything that benefits our community, should we have funding appropriate to the ask,” Davis said. “We especially like helping those involving children, since they are the future of this area.”

Davis says that members of PALS are excited for their continued success, with 2024 being a standout year.

“2024 has been a great year for PALS,” Davis said. “We’ve been able to provide funding through our grant requests to several organizations to date. Our next deadline for new grant requests is coming up on August 20, 2024, and we’ll be reviewing those shortly thereafter. Our goal is to provide funding to area organizations to ‘Help Make Portsmouth a Better Place.’ Since our inception, we have been able to provide over $195,000 through our grant process to help with various organizations needs such as the Greenlawn Cemetery project, Cirque d’ Art, the American Red Cross, SOMC Hospice Center, PAAC, Shawnee State Arts, etc.”

PALS is an extended network of driven locals. Some of them include Tami Davis, Teri Webb, Shawn Jordan, Linda Woods-Jones, Debbie Smith, Patty Tennant, Carol Davis, Therese Egbert, Tess Midkiff, Kay Bouyack, Phyllis Fried, Rhoni Maxwell-Rader, Lynsi Eason, Jill Arnzen, Linda Woods-Jones, Ruth Ann Logan, Betty Kennedy, Julia Wisniewski, Toni Dengel, and more.

“PALS would love to have other ladies join us. All they need to do is go to our website and complete an application,” Davis said.

Quarter three applications close August 20. See their website for more information, www.portmouthpals.org.