Grassroots effort matched by major gifts will allow city to cancel planned fee

     WATERTOWN — The Northern New York Community Foundation is pleased to announce that a group of donors have come together to make possible the free use of the city’s two outdoor pools for the season.

     The Community Foundation, together with Watertown Savings Bank, local developer Jake Johnson, the Jane Deline Foundation, and dozens of individual donors, have generously provided support that will ensure free swimming throughout the summer.

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Pair of Seniors Honored as Top Graduating Athletes at WHS Awards Event

     WATERTOWN — A pair of Watertown High School seniors were honored Wednesday evening as the top graduating athletes and recipients of the William I. Graf Award. Marra Dickinson was selected as the women’s recipient and Maddox J. Corey was named as the men’s honoree this year.

     The Italian-American Civic Association established the William I. Graf Award in 1954 to honor Mr. Graf’s leadership and civic engagement in the community. The Northern New York Community Foundation was selected to help continue the Graf family legacy by administering an associated scholarship fund in perpetuity and raising awareness of the award for students who strive to earn the prestigious honor.

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$5,000 in Funding Will Help With Upgrades to Enhance Space for Future Public Use

     CONSTABLEVILLE — A $5,000 grant from the Kenneth V. and Jeannette Remp Sawyer Community Fund of the Northern New York Community Foundation will help the Constableville Volunteer Fire Company renovate its community room.

     Grant support will be used to make several key upgrades for future use that will enhance the community room for the public.

     For more than 40 years, the Constableville Volunteer Fire Company has provided a community room for a variety of activities. The multipurpose space is used for firefighter and EMT trainings, education classes, blood drive, community events and receptions and more. Visit facebook.com/cvillefire to learn more.

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$8,000 in Funding Will Purchase a Tent for Outdoor Events

     CONSTABLEVILLE — An $8,000 grant from the Kenneth V. and Jeannette Remp Sawyer Community Fund of the Northern New York Community Foundation will allow Constable Hall to host a variety of private and community events each year.

     Grant support will be used to purchase a tent for the organization. With limited indoor space at Constable Hall, the outdoor event tent will hold up to 150 people. The organization is hosting several community events through November.

     Cultural and historical education activities have increased in past two years, and the investment will boost capacity for additional events. Visit constablehall.org/events to learn more.

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Three School Districts Earn a Share of $5,000 in Grant Funding for Increasing Student Participation in Scholarship Program

     WATERTOWN — Three school districts across Jefferson, Lewis, and St. Lawrence counties were recently named winners of the Community Foundation’s Class of 2026 Scholarship Challenge and earned a share of $5,000 in grant funding.

     The school districts — one in each county the Community Foundation serves — each received a $1,000 grant. One of the three $1,000 winners also was awarded the top Scholarship Challenge grant of $2,000.

     Jefferson County’s Sackets Harbor School District is the top grant winner with 71.4 percent, or 20, of its 28 seniors submitting scholarship applications. Sackets also won a $1,000 Scholarship Challenge grant during this year’s first round of awards.

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