Community Generously Responds to Preserve Former Wellesley Island Church
WATERTOWN — A $10,000 Community Foundation challenge grant has been met and will help the historic Densmore Church on Wellesley Island install a new roof.
“It is wonderful to see this historic gem be properly maintained and preserved so that it can continue to be a valuable community resource for generations to come,” said Rande S. Richardson, Community Foundation executive director. “We are pleased to be able to help match donations from the community toward this cause.”
Dedicated in 1902 as the First Methodist Episcopal Church, it was accepted into the National Register of Historic Places in 1988. Following a decline in its congregation, the church was later decommissioned and became a public nonprofit and transitioned into a vibrant community space. Today, the church plays host to a summer concert series, weddings, receptions and reunions for community use and benefit. The Foundation has been an annual sponsor of the Sunday summer concert series.
Densmore’s board of trustees prioritized a new roof as an urgent project last year and work is now expected to begin later this spring. Throughout the past several months, individuals and businesses have responded
generously to support the “Preserve Our Past and Build Our Future” campaign, raising more than $50,000 toward the project. Visit densmorechurch.org to learn more.
Densmore is an active Community Foundation partner and established a permanent endowment at the Foundation in 2019. In addition to the grant made for the roof, the Community Foundation is currently also matching gifts made to the endowment, up to a total of $10,000.
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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.