VALLEY GRANDE — The season of giving is still in full swing — at least in the city of Valley Grande.

During Monday’s city council meeting, Mayor Wayne Labbe said the council approved several large donations to be made out to three local schools.

“We make donations to Dallas County Schools, Martin Middle School and Valley Grande Elementary every year,” Labbe said. “And this year it was $6,000 apiece.”

Labbe said the donations were increased from the $5,000 each school received last year, and Labbe said wouldn’t be the last money given to the schools this school year.

“The principals of all these schools are scheduled to be at our next meeting here in a couple weeks to receive these checks in person,” Labbe said. “And we have $1,500 dollars which we plan to be given out in $500 grants later.”

Labbe said the upcoming grant money would go to individual teachers and classes for projects they hope to complete this year. He said teachers would apply to the council and make presentations about the ways they would use the grant money.

Along with the donations to the three local schools, the council on Monday also approved a $1,000 donation to the Selma-Dallas County Public Library, money Labbe said is well deserved.

”The kids from Valley Grande use that library so much and we try to help the library leadership out every year when we can,” Labbe said. “They can always use a thousand bucks with everything they are offering down there.”

Becky Nichols, director of the library, said the money would be a big help for the library, specifically their children’s programs which relies on donations such as this.

“This is actually not a big deal for us, It’s really a huge deal,” Nichols said. “This is a great indicator of the immense support we have from all of our city and county governments. We are thrilled to receive this check, because we depend on local donations to make sure the kids will have enough markers and paper, and we truly appreciate the help from our dear friends in Valley Grande.”

Labbe also said that in the next month or two, the council would be considering making several sizable donations to are volunteer fire departments.

“Within the Valley Grande umbrella, we have volunteer fire departments in Valley Grande, Summerfield and Potter Station,” Labbe said. “We make donations to all three of those, and it’s pretty substantial. By the time we get through with them it will be in the $40,000 range because it takes money to support a volunteer fire department with the trucks and equipment they need. And we just try to support them as much as we can, too.”