Support for Kids Programs, Trails, Emergency Services, and More

The Essex Community Fund, Charlie Goff Memorial Fund, and Allen Scholarship and Education Program Fund—each a component fund of the Adirondack Foundation—awarded grants totaling $33,700.00 to 12 community organizations and three local high school graduates.

“We congratulate this year’s grant recipients, applaud the great work they do for our local communities, and wish the students success in college,” said Norma Goff, Chair of the Essex Community Fund’s Advisory Board and Advisor of the Charlie Goff Memorial Fund. “The Community Fund is supported by many generous people who believe in the power of giving and want to make a difference in our special area of the Champlain Valley. With continued support, we can do so much more.”

The Community Fund awarded $2,000.00 to the Lakeside School at Black Kettle Farm to help construct the drainage system for its elementary classroom. “By ensuring the long-term stability of our program, this funding allows our school to meet our mission of ‘cultivating the whole child’ as we provide current and future families with affordable education,” said Maeve Taylor, School Administrator.

The Paine Memorial Library received $500.00 from the Community Fund to implement a summer reading program called “Libraries Rock.” Cheryl Ann Blanchard, Library Director, said, “Studies indicate that students who don’t read over the summer vacation see their reading abilities stagnate or decline. We offer six weeks of reading programs that reach nearly 100 kids per summer.”

In honor and memory of Bruce Klink and Baird Voorhees, the Community Fund also granted $2,000.00 to Champlain Area Trails (CATS) to support the Essex Gateway Trail boardwalk project. “The grant fund enables us to finally complete the trail connecting the Champlain Ferry parking area to Essex Farm and Blockhouse Road,” said Chris Maron, Executive Director.

The Belden Noble Memorial Library received $1,000.00, honoring the memory of Gordon and Martha McBride, to purchase audio-visual equipment to enhance its programs. Library Director Thomas Mangano noted, “By replacing outdated equipment, this support makes it easier to present quality library programs that require a projector, screen and computer.”

In honor and memory of Charlie Goff and Joe Ecclesine, the Goff Memorial Fund, a subset of the Community Fund, awarded $2,000.00 to Willsboro-Essex Emergency Medical Services for communications improvements. Rebecca Crowningshield, EMS Captain, pointed out that, “Three new portable radios allow better communication with the ambulance, responders and county dispatchers, improving efficiency and safety.”

Warren Jackson, Dellandy Christian, and Darrian Sweat, Willsboro Central School graduates, each received a $5,000.00 scholarship from the Allen Scholarship Fund to help cover college expenses. Jackson is attending SUNY Albany, Christian, SUNY Plattsburgh, and Sweat, Colby-Sawyer College in New Hampshire. The scholarships are renewable each year based on the students’ performance.

The following organizations also received grants this year:

• Adirondack Art Association, to support children’s art classes
• Essex Community United Methodist Church, for rehabilitating its parsonage
• Essex Initiatives, for an updated business and services brochure
• Essex Theatre Company, to create set décor and window backlighting for a summer performance
• High Peaks Hospice & Palliative Care, for a phone system upgrade
• North Country SPCA, for telecommunications upgrades, in honor and memory of Frisky Irwin
• Whallonsburg Grange Hall, for an updated accessible ramp and entryway roof

“Kudos all around to the fund donors and advisors, grantees, and students,” said Cali Brooks, Adirondack Foundation President and CEO. “These grants and the spirit in which they are given are a testament to the power of place-based philanthropy.”

About Essex Community Fund

Essex Community Fund, established at Adirondack Foundation in 2003 by Essex residents dedicated to improving the quality of life in the Town of Essex, supports community beautification, historic preservation, culture, the arts, education, and programs for youth and senior citizens. To date, the fund has awarded more than $211,000 to local organizations, projects and causes. It has sparked the creation of the Charlie Goff Memorial Fund, Essex Heating Project, and the Allen Scholarship and Education Program Fund. To contribute or learn more, contact Nick Muller at 518.963.8188 or ludditenick@gmail.com, or visit www.essexfund.org.

About Adirondack Foundation

Adirondack Foundation’s mission is to strengthen community through philanthropy. Our vision for a thriving Adirondacks is where communities are strong, just and inclusive, families have access to quality healthcare and education, environmental resources are protected, and economic and cultural opportunities abound. As the community foundation serving the Adirondack region of northern New York, Adirondack Foundation awards $3 million in grants annually and works with generous people from all walks of life to give back to the things that matter to them. For more information, visit www.adirondackfoundation.org or call (518) 523-9904.