State Treasurer John Perdue presented unclaimed property checks to both the Hurricane High School band boosters and the Ona Volunteer Fire Department Tuesday afternoon.

Band boosters received $2,000 and the fire department $2,427 during ceremonies 15 minutes apart on Interstate-64.

The Hurricane High money stems from an unclaimed check issued by the West Virginia Division of Culture and History.  The fire department check is predominantly from the West Virginia Division of Health.

“Unfortunately in today’s tough budgetary times, extracurricular activities, while not as important as academics, are often squeezed nearly out of existence,” Treasurer Perdue said. “Volunteer fire departments too, are pressed to the point of breaking. These are wonderful community assets. I hope the money we’ve found helps both groups.”

Unclaimed property is any asset from which the rightful owner has become separated. Examples include a forgotten utility deposit, uncashed stock dividends and forgotten safe deposit box contents.

Cabell County, where Ona is situated, rated second in unclaimed property returned to rightful owners last fiscal year with $683,846 issued to 323 claimants. Putnam residents received $150,766 collectively, spread among 227 claims.