×

Falconer Region Receives Funding From Community Foundation

Members of the Falconer Region Community Fund and representatives from local organizations receiving funding, gather at the Kennedy Free Library. Submitted photo

The Falconer Region Community Fund and Donald R. Swanson Memorial Fund recently awarded grants to five organizations in the Falconer and Kennedy communities.

Grants were awarded to the Kennedy Free Library for reopening supplies, Kennedy United Methodist Church for technology upgrades, Our Lady of Loreto for technology upgrades, the Falconer Public Library for its Story Walk and the Volunteer Fireman’s Association of Falconer for fire department equipment.

According to Diane Carey, Kennedy Free Library librarian, being in a rural community it is important that the library develop safe ways for the public to utilize their computers to access the internet and for students to complete their school work.

With their grant, Carey was able to purchase clear, acrylic shields to place around each of the library’s eight public computers.

“In order to maintain social distancing, we’ve had to limit the number of computers available for the public,” Carey said. “With the purchase of these shields, we are now able to safely offer all of our computers for school children and adults.”

Also supporting public safety is the grant awarded to the Volunteer Fireman’s Association of Falconer, which upgraded the Rescue Squad’s oxygen filling station.

The current oxygen filling station is the original system from when the squad was formed in the 1970s. According to Bryce Webster, Falconer fire chief, there was a need to bring the system up to current standards, as well as make it more efficient to refill after each call.

“This upgrade will make it easier to fill the portable oxygen cylinders that are used to treat patients on EMS calls,” said Webster. “Last year we averaged 895 total calls, of which 582 were EMS related.”

Grant requests for the Falconer Region Community Fund will continue to be accepted until Oct. 28 for charitable projects and needs associated with nonprofit organizations, churches and public entities located within the Falconer Central School District.

The Falconer Region Community Fund was created in 2012 under the leadership of lifelong Falconer residents, Maurice and Doris Roach, who brought community members and local stakeholders together to support charitable activities in their community.

Additional grant making has been made possible through the Donald R. Swanson Memorial Fund, created in 2017 by the family of former Falconer resident, Donald Swanson and through a generous gift from the Board of Directors of the former Methodist Gardens that was placed in the Falconer Region Community Fund in 2018.

For any questions, contact Elizabeth Jones, Community Impact Officer at 661-3392 or ejones@crcfonline.org.

Newsletter

Today's breaking news and more in your inbox

I'm interested in (please check all that apply)
Are you a paying subscriber to the newspaper? *
   

Starting at $4.62/week.

Subscribe Today