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Women Who Care Crosses $500,000 Milestone with $50,000 in New Local Grants

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Women Who Care held its annual fall business meeting last evening at the Johnsonburg Fire Hall, bringing together more than 130 members to review and vote on local grant applications. The landmark event celebrated a massive milestone: $500,000 raised since the organization’s inception, with $50,000 awarded in grants this year alone to uplift the local community.

The following organizations were named recipients of the Women Who Care 2026 grants:

• Bender Safety & Training Corporation

• Boys & Girls Club of St. Marys

• Community Education Center

• Crystal Fire Department

• Elk County Catholic School System, ECCSS

• The Footlighters of Elk County Community Theater

• Fox Township Historical Society

• Johnsonburg Area School District, Johnsonburg Area School District News

• Johnsonburg Community Center

• Johnsonburg Fire Department

• Messengers Supporting Recovery

• Ridgway Public Library

• Saint Marys Senior Citizens, Saint Marys PA Senior Center

• The Lutheran Home at Kane

• West Creek Rail Trail

The evening also featured the “Donor for a Day” drawing. Congratulations to Debbie Blessler, Anna Kreckel, Judy Allegretto, and Carol Dale, who were selected for this honor. Each individual will select a local non-profit to receive a $500 gift.

Women Who Care extends its deepest gratitude to all members whose dedication and contributions make this community impact possible. Special thanks go to Beth Constable and the volunteers at the Johnsonburg Fire Department for providing a delicious meal, and to Connie Crawford for making the celebratory cake for this historic milestone.

Click here for more event photos!

ECCF Partners with Local Experts for “Planning Ahead” Senior Seminar

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The Elk County Community Foundation (ECCF) recently partnered with local industry experts to help area seniors and their families navigate the complexities of long-term planning. On October 5, ECCF representatives joined professionals from Gimbrone Insurance Services, Stifel, Lynch-Radkowski Funeral Home, and Lynch-Green Funeral Home for a comprehensive “Planning Ahead” seminar.

Hosted by Jennifer Bish at Elk Haven Nursing Home and Silver Creek, the informative community event provided vital guidance for senior citizens, families, and caregivers. Attendees received practical advice on balancing health plans, managing retirement finances, and structuring robust estate plans.

Incorporate Giving into Your Legacy
Securing your future also offers a powerful opportunity to support the community you love. If you would like more information on establishing a charitable fund through your estate plan, will, trust, IRA, or other beneficiary designations, please reach out to the Elk County Community Foundation at 814-834-2125 or visit the official Elk County Community Foundation Facebook Page to learn more about our ongoing community initiatives.

COMMUNITY FOUNDATION EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR REFLECTS ON FIRSTHAND IMPACT AT CRYSTAL FIRE DEPARTMENT VISIT DURING FIRE PREVENTION WEEK

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ST. MARYS, PA — October 9, 2026 — In recognition of Fire Prevention Week, Tiffany Boschert, Executive Director of the Elk County Community Foundation (ECCF), visited the Crystal Fire Department on October 8 to witness firsthand the profound community impact of local philanthropic investments.

Over the years, the Crystal Fire Department has successfully advanced crucial safety initiatives and infrastructure projects utilizing competitive grants, specialized funds managed by the Community Foundation, and collective giving via Women Who Care grants. The on-site visit offered Foundation leadership a closer look at how these financial resources translate into real-world protection for local residents.

“Seeing firsthand what it takes to run a volunteer fire department gives you a completely new appreciation for what these individuals do for our community,” said Boschert. “What stood out to me most was seeing veteran volunteers who have dedicated decades of their lives to the department now passing along their knowledge, skills, and experience to the younger generation. That generational dedication is truly remarkable.”

Volunteer fire departments face steep operational hurdles, with vital costs mounting quickly across advanced rescue gear, specialized training, and high-tech protective apparel. Through rigorous volunteer determination and targeted community grant funding, the department continues to keep the region safe.

“The equipment, protective clothing, training, and countless other necessities come at a tremendous cost, yet these volunteers keep finding ways to make it happen while protecting our community,” Boschert added. “Thank you to everyone involved with the Crystal Fire Department. Your dedication, commitment, and willingness to serve do not go unnoticed. We are incredibly fortunate to have you safeguarding our community.”

To learn more about how local grants and donor-driven funds support community safety infrastructure, or to explore giving opportunities, please visit the Elk County Community Foundation.

Photo link: https://drive.google.com/drive/folders/1-54ESRixYvcm9zexmSlXSsg44YfzRF9V?usp=drive_link

Titan Cornhole Supports Fr. Eric Vogt Memorial Fund with $600 Donation

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The spirit of giving continues in memory of Fr. Eric Vogt, as Titan Cornhole recently hosted a charitable cornhole tournament that raised $600 for the Fr. Eric Vogt Memorial Fund at the Elk County Community Foundation.

Titan Cornhole regularly brings people together through tournaments that support local organizations and charitable causes. This October, they chose to honor Fr. Eric, bringing together friends, family, and community members for an event that celebrated his memory while giving back to the community he loved.

To those who knew him, Fr. Eric was much more than a priest. He was a friend, a mentor, and someone who genuinely cared about others. Whether at church, in school, at a local restaurant, on the golf course, or cheering at a sporting event, Fr. Eric was a familiar and welcoming presence. He especially loved seeing children and young people involved in activities and finding opportunities to grow.

Established in 2023 by his family, the Fr. Eric Vogt Memorial Fund continues to honor his legacy by supporting programs, organizations, and initiatives that reflect the causes and people that were important to him.

The $600 donation from Titan Cornhole shows how community support can help a charitable fund grow over time. Not every fund established at the Elk County Community Foundation begins with a substantial financial contribution. Many begin with a family’s desire to honor someone special, hoping friends, neighbors, and future generations will build on that initial gift.

Through fundraisers like this cornhole tournament, annual memorial events, and individual donations, a fund can keep growing and make a difference for years to come. The Fr. Eric Vogt Memorial Fund is a wonderful example of how family, friends, and community members can come together to turn the memory of someone they love into a lasting source of support for others.

The Elk County Community Foundation appreciates Titan Cornhole, the tournament participants, and everyone who continues to honor Fr. Eric’s memory through their generosity.

Those wishing to contribute to the Fr. Eric Vogt Memorial Fund may donate online at https://northernalleghenies.org/make-a-donation/ or mail a check to the Elk County Community Foundation, PO Box 934, St. Marys, PA 15857. Please note Fr. Eric Vogt Memorial Fund in the memo.

The Elk County Community Foundation, an affiliate of the Community Foundation of the Northern Alleghenies, is a nonprofit grantmaking organization dedicated to improving the lives of people in our geographic area by partnering with philanthropic donors to help them meet their charitable goals. For more information, contact the Foundation at 814-834-2125.

Two Decades of Honoring Michele by Empowering Nursing’s Future

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MICHELE A. CAMPBELL MEMORIAL NURSING SCHOLARSHIP COMES FULL CIRCLE

For more than two decades, the Michele A. Campbell Memorial Nursing Scholarship has helped local students pursue careers dedicated to caring for others. Today, Michele’s family is seeing the impact of that generosity in a way they may never have imagined when the scholarship was established.

Michele’s own path to nursing was not immediate. After graduating from high school, she worked in several different positions, including in the medical field. Through those experiences, Michele discovered her passion for nursing and enrolled at the University of Pittsburgh at Bradford, where she was a hardworking and dedicated student and ranked number one in her class.

Michele was fatally injured in an automobile accident on February 6, 1996, while traveling to attend classes at the University of Pittsburgh at Bradford. In November 2002, her parents, Joyce and Theodore Campbell, established the Michele A. Campbell Memorial Scholarship Fund at the Elk County Community Foundation to help other students who shared their daughter’s enthusiasm for nursing.

More than two decades later, Joyce has seen the impact of that decision firsthand.

A few years ago, while Joyce was receiving care at Elk Haven, she and a member of her care team began talking about the young woman’s career and goals. During their conversation, they realized they shared a special connection—the young woman had received the Michele A. Campbell Memorial Nursing Scholarship a few years earlier. She told Joyce how the scholarship helped her further her education and pursue a career in nursing.

“When we established this scholarship, we wanted to help other students pursue the career Michele cared so much about,” said Joyce Campbell. “To now see scholarship recipients working in nursing and know that the scholarship helped them along the way is very special. This is exactly why the scholarship was created.”

“Joyce’s story is such a meaningful example of the lasting impact of a scholarship,” said Tiffany Boschert, Executive Director of the Elk County Community Foundation. “What began as a way for Joyce and Theodore to honor Michele is still helping nursing students more than two decades later. To see a past recipient now working in nursing and providing care to Michele’s own mother truly brings that legacy full circle.”

That legacy continues with this year’s recipient, Rosa DePrator, a current student at Gannon University. DePrator was selected to receive the Michele A. Campbell Memorial Nursing Scholarship for the second consecutive year.

The Michele A. Campbell Memorial Nursing Scholarship is one of the scholarship funds administered by the Elk County Community Foundation, an affiliate of the Community Foundation of the Northern Alleghenies. To learn more about scholarship funds or other charitable giving opportunities, visit www.elkcountyfoundation.org or call 814-834-2125.

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