Former Bridge Authority Official Supports Employees, Retirees, and their Families
ALEXANDRIA — Two Jefferson County students with family ties to the Thousand Islands Bridge Authority were recently named the Class of 2023 recipients of the Northern New York Community Foundation Russell I. Wilcox Thousand Islands Bridge Authority Scholarship.
Natalie L. Hunter and Tucker Rosbrook, both 2023 General Brown High School graduates, were each awarded a $1,000 scholarship.
Natalie L. Hunter is a Watertown native who graduated with honors from General Brown High School in June. She will attend SUNY Brockport this fall where she plans to pursue a degree in nursing. She aspires to a career as a Registered Nurse.
While in High School, Natalie was a member of the National Honor Society. She was a two-sport athlete, competing in varsity cheerleading and volleyball, and served as the manager for the varsity boys basketball team. She was active in a wide range of school clubs and organizations, including Math league, Odyssey of the Mind, and the International Club. She also volunteered for the school’s backpack program and at Samaritan Medical Center where she helped the Infectious Disease Program maintain proper standards.
Natalie is the granddaughter of Mary Hunter, a longtime Thousand Islands Bridge Authority team member who retired from the accounting department. Her uncle, Kenny Hunter, is a project specialist at Boldt Castle. Natalie is the daughter of Ronald Hunter and Jennifer Dean and the stepdaughter of David Dean, Watertown.
Tucker J. Rosbrook is a Watertown native who graduated with honors from General Brown High School in June. He will attend SUNY Oswego this fall to pursue a bachelor’s degree in finance. He aspires to a career as a financial advisor.
While in high school, Tucker was a member of the National Honor Society. He was a three-sport athlete, competing in varsity soccer, basketball, and golf. He was active in a wide range of school clubs and organizations, including Student Council and the International and Booster clubs. He was also a student coach for the Little Lions Basketball Camo and a volunteer for the American Heart Association Heart Walk.
Tucker is the grandson of the late James Bacon, who spent 22 years with the Thousand Islands Bridge Authority until his retirement in 2000. Mr. Bacon passed away in 2014. Tucker is the son of Julie and Lee Rosbrook, Watertown.
Russell I. Wilcox, a longtime leader of the Thousand Islands Bridge Authority, established the permanent scholarship at the Northern New York Community Foundation in 2022 as an extension of his life’s work, service on behalf of the Bridge Authority, and in honor of his relationship with Bridge Authority board members and employees.
Current full-time Thousand Islands Bridge Authority employees, retirees, and their children and grandchildren are eligible to apply for the scholarship, which is awarded annually through the Community Foundation.
About the Thousand Islands Bridge Authority
The Thousand Islands Bridge Authority is a New York State public benefit corporation. It owns and operates the Thousand Islands International Bridge System near Alexandria Bay, and Ivy Lea, Ontario, Canada, covering 8.5 miles and providing a direct connection to U.S. Interstate 81 and Canada’s Highway 401.
An international board of directors leads the Authority, which also owns and operates the regional tourist attraction Boldt Castle. Since 1977, more than $20 million in capital improvements have been made to the castle property through Authority revenues without state and federal funds. Annual visits to the Boldt Castle exceed 240,000.
The Authority employs 62 full-time staff, of which 43 are U.S. citizens and 19 are Canadian citizens. The Authority averages 60 additional temporary and seasonal staff annually to support seasonal operations and maintenance.
About the Northern New York Community Foundation
Since 1929, the Northern New York Community Foundation has invested in improving and enriching the quality of life for all in communities across Jefferson, Lewis, and St. Lawrence counties.
Through partnerships with businesses and organizations, charitable foundations, and generous families and individual donors, the Community Foundation awards grants and scholarships from an endowment and collection of funds that benefit the region. Its commitment to donors helps individuals achieve their charitable objectives now and for generations to come by preserving and honoring legacies of community philanthropy while inspiring others.
The Community Foundation is a resource for local charitable organizations, donors, professional advisors and nonprofit organizations. It also works to bring people together at its permanent home in the Northern New York Philanthropy Center to discuss challenges our communities face and find creative solutions that strengthen the region and make it a great place to live, work, and play.
