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WATERTOWN WEATHER

Clifton-Fine Community Fund Supports Five Projects in Southeastern St. Lawrence County

Feb 04, 2025 12:45PM ● By Nicole Petrus

FINE — The Clifton-Fine Community Fund of the Northern New York Community Foundation will support  five community projects with $6,000 in grant funding for initiatives and programs that benefit residents of six  southeast St. Lawrence County communities. 

 The Clifton-Fine Community Fund was established at the Community Foundation in 2013 as a geographic specific fund to support projects and programs that positively impact the quality of life in the southeast  St. Lawrence County region, specifically in the towns and hamlets of Fine, Oswegatchie, Star Lake, Newton  Falls, Wanakena and Cranberry Lake. The fund aims to enhance the quality of life for all who live in the  region while maximizing the opportunity for residents to give where they live. 

 “Each of these grants touches the lives of so many citizens across the Clifton-Fine region,” said Max  DelSignore, Community Foundation vice president. “We are grateful for each recipient that properly stewards  these meaningful grants and for the thoughtful donors who make these awards possible. The philanthropic  spirit of this region shines through the Clifton-Fine Community Fund. The fund committee and the Community  Foundation are eager to support its growth now and in the future.” 

 The Northern New York Community Foundation stewards this charitable fund. To build initial support,  the Foundation awarded a $50,000 challenge grant to donors interested in giving to this philanthropic resource.  By the end of 2014, people from across the region came together to create a $100,000 community fund that  will award grants to support local projects and nonprofit organizations in perpetuity.  A committee of Clifton-Fine region residents collaborates with the Community Foundation to evaluate  grant requests each year.  

 Since 2014, the Community Fund has awarded more than two-dozen organizations nearly $56,000 to  support 50 projects and initiatives. This year’s grant recipients are: 

Clifton-Fine Central School, $2,000 to help continue an after-school program that has seen successful  participation in past two years. Programs including art club, cooking, gymnastics, martial arts, and science  club were offered to elementary, middle, and high school students. Martial arts experienced the highest  participation rate with up to 40 elementary school students attending sessions. Grant funding will help the  school district continue a martial arts program and retain a local instructor at a reduced rate.  Additionally, the Hilary J. Hooper Fund of the Northern New York Community Foundation will provide  $5,000 to support the program. Mr. Hooper was a Newton Falls resident who passed away in December 2019.  During his lifetime, he established a legacy fund at the Foundation to support several charitable organizations  and needs in southern St. Lawrence and northern Lewis counties. One of Mr. Hooper’s charitable goals was to  help with emerging needs at Clifton-Fine Central School.  

 Wilderness Health Care Foundation, $1,500 to help Clifton-Fine Hospital with its capital campaign project,  which will create a new emergency services annex. The new space will allow for updated private treatment  rooms, installation of contemporary equipment, enhancement of physical and occupational therapies spaces,  as well as improved lab and imaging rooms. It is the hospital’s most important project in the last 30 years. 

 Cranberry Lake North Shore Hub, $1,000 to support replacement of a hazardous sidewalk, which hinders  accessibility. Established in 2018, the Hub has become an important community gathering venue in Cranberry  Lake. The organization offers speaker series, a concert series, events coordinated by the local library and  Cranberry Lake Boat Club and much more.  

 Wanakena Historical Association, $1,000 to help acquire all-weather vinyl curtains for use on the front  porch of its history center, which plans to use the porch as a year-round space to feature exhibits and displays,  particularly in the spring and autumn seasons. The historical association is one of the most active nonprofit  organizations in the Clifton-Fine region and is committed to showcasing the region’s rich industrial history.  

 Mervin Eno American Legion Post 1539, $457 to support the purchase of new kitchen pots and pans.  The legion is actively working on kitchen upgrades to enhance its ability to continue veteran activities and  support community gatherings. The Post was chartered in 1946 to support veterans who live in Clifton-Fine area communities. This grant is being supported in stewardship by the Clifton-Fine Economic Development  Corporation. 

 The Clifton-Fine Community Fund will accept proposals for 2026 grant funding in August. Complete  details and an application will be made available this summer. Meanwhile, to help extend the effort and make  a gift to the fund, visit nnycf.org to access secure online giving. 

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.