Trio of Seniors Honored as Top Graduating Athletes at Watertown High School Spring Sports Awards Night

WATERTOWN — Three Watertown High School seniors were honored Wednesday evening as the top graduating athletes and recipients of the William I. Graf Award. Alexandra Macutek and Mallory J. Peters were selected as the women’s recipients and Jack T. Rathbun was named as the men’s honoree this year.

The Italian American Civic Association created 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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Planned Improvements Include Roadway Reconstruction, Infrastructure Upgrades

     WATERTOWN — The Northern New York Community Foundation is pleased to partner with Blessed Sacrament Parish — St. Anthony’s, St. Patrick’s, and Holy Family Churches — to steward charitable gifts in support of a $1 million campaign to revitalize Watertown’s Glenwood Cemetery.

     Since its consecration in June 1888, Glenwood Cemetery has been the family plot for many. It serves as the principal Catholic cemetery in the Watertown area for many North Country neighbors and relatives.

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Applications for Up to $7,500 in Funding Per Applicant Due Wednesday, July 31

     MASSENA — Air Products, in partnership with the Community Foundation, recently announced a $50,000 grant from the Air Products Foundation to support the establishment of the Air Products Greater Massena Community Fund.

     Grants of up to $7,500 per applicant are open to qualified and approved 501(c)(3) organizations and local governing bodies for programs, projects, and initiatives that improve the quality of life for residents in the Greater Massena community and St. Regis Mohawk Reservation. Focus will be on supporting a variety of community needs in areas including, but not limited to, health and wellness, arts and culture, human services, education, families, youth and/or elders, environment and conservation, community development, and recreation. Each request will be evaluated for its potential impact on the Greater Massena community and its ability to support disadvantaged communities.

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$7,000 in Grant Support Will Help Ensure Success of Two Signature Summer Events

     WATERTOWN — The Jefferson Economic Development Fund of the Northern New York Community Foundation recently supported a pair of local cultural programs that will help strengthen tourism and the arts this summer.

     A $6,000 grant to the Cape Vincent Local Development Corporation will help ensure this year’s French Festival is staffed with professional security to comply with new state requirements. With a more than 55-year history, the annual festival is a long-standing celebration of the region’s French heritage and attracts thousands of visitors with its cultural activities, food, parades, and crafts.

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Support Aids Development of New Lowville Facility, Builds Permanent Endowment

     LOWVILLE — A pair of Community Foundation grants totaling $150,000 have helped Double Play Community Center transform a former Lowville restaurant and banquet facility off Bardo Road into a full-service community hub that offers comprehensive wellness programs for patrons of all ages.

     The Foundation’s Board of Directors in 2023 approved a $100,000 grant to support Double Play’s capital project and a $50,000 grant to build the nonprofit’s endowment fund at the Community Foundation.

     A ribbon-cutting ceremony to honor project donors and supporters is slated for 5:30 p.m. Monday, May 6,  in advance of the new facility opening to the public at 5 a.m. the next day. A public open house is planned for later this spring.

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