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.
“It has been wonderful to have worked together with Double Play over the last several years to help them grow, and we are especially pleased to be part of this transformational next step forward for them,” said Rande S. Richardson, Community Foundation executive director. “They have worked tirelessly to extend their reach and we are hopeful our investment will continue to advance their ability to impact the health and well-being of local residents of all ages, today and in the future.”
For more than a decade, Double Play, a longtime Community Foundation partner, has been an all-encompassing health and wellness organization focused on improving the quality of life for Lewis County residents and surrounding communities.
Its programs center on enrichment, education, recreation, and social activities for children, teens, seniors, and families. With a grassroots vision, gradual growth, and through evolution, Double Play has become very similar to a regional YMCA.
Until now, Double Play has occupied three spaces in the Village of Lowville to operate an array of programs. In recent years, it has worked to bring all programming to one location. That goal came to fruition in late 2022 when the organization finalized purchase of the former Ridge View Inn, which opens Tuesday as Double Play’s new permanent home.
Community Foundation grant support has helped convert the facility into a 10,000-square-foot epicenter for arts, wellness, and recreation for youth, families, and senior citizens alike.
Double Play Community Center Executive Director Dan Myers said the Community Foundation’s support is a meaningful partnership that transcends financial aid and will “set the stage for a sustainable and bright future for community development and relationship building.”
“We are beyond grateful for the generous support and continued confidence in our organization to make a difference in people’s lives in the North Country,” Mr. Myers said. “The recent Community Foundation grant award will transform our area in ways never before thought of in Lewis County and the surrounding communities.”
Double Play and the Community Foundation have been partnering for more than a decade by improving the quality of life through enrichment program development and facility enhancements.
“The leadership and board of directors at the Community Foundation continue to value the vision Double Play has displayed while remaining steadfast in developing a full-service community center that encompasses wellness of the mind and body,” Mr. Myers said.
Double Play Community Center is one of more than 150 tri-county nonprofit organizations that partners with the Community Foundation. In 2016, Double Play established a permanent endowment fund at the Foundation. Gifts to help build Double Play’s endowment may be made securely online at bit.ly/Double-Play-Endowment, or by mail to: Northern New York Community Foundation, 131 Washington St., Watertown, NY 13601. Visit doubleplaycc.com to learn more about programs and classes.
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.