Community Links Receive Website Funding

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Community Links Receive Website Funding

Recently the Community Links, executive director, Pam FinGado met with Ted Schneider one of the donor advisors of the Harrison and Muriel Dauer Stackpole Family Fund to express their gratitude for their recent grant. The donor advised fund is held and administered by the Elk County Community Foundation (ECCF). Last month the advisors met and approve a grant for $4,750 to help fund Community Link’s new website. Community Links, based in Bradford PA, is a small, non-profit organization founded in October 2003 which provides direct care services for those with intellectual disabilities in Elk, Cameron, and McKean Counties.

Community Links provides home and community habilitation, respite care, and behavioral support services that promote and support the independence of our individuals in their homes or in their community. The agency also provides relief to primary caregivers by offering alternative care in the consumer’s home or in the home of respite staff. The agency originated in response to the limited availability of services to individuals with intellectual disabilities. Their goal is to give a choice in service delivery.

With this gift the Community Links will have a professional presence on the web. They know that this website will enhance their services and meet many of the training needs of the staff. “We can hardly wait to start to showcase the abilities and accomplishments of those we serve on our web page” commented Mrs. FinGado. She went on to say how this grant will allow them the ability to become part of the online community. Their hope is that it will promote their efforts to support the intellectually disabled population as they achieve greater independence and success in their communities.

The Advisors for the Harrison and Muriel Dauer Stackpole Family Fund are made up of the family and friends of Harrison and Muriel. Their goal is to ensure that the Fund continues the good works that both Mr. & Mrs. Stackpole had done in our community during their lifetime and to support the philanthropic causes that were important to both of them. Applications for the Harrison and Muriel Dauer Stackpole Family Fund are accepted and reviewed quarterly. Please contact the Elk County Community Foundation for specific deadline dates or check out the website at www.elkcountyfoundation.com.

ECCF is a non- profit organization that manages endowed funds established by donors for area non profit organizations as wells as administers a number of scholarships for individuals and groups. Donor gifts to the Foundations are tax deductible to the full extent allowed by law.

Pictured are left to right: Pam FinGado, Executive Director of Community Links and Ted Schneider, advisor to the Harrison and Muriel Dauer Stackpole Family Fund

New Fund Established to Support Humane Society

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Veronica Conrad and her daughter, Heather have been long time volunteers at the Elk County Human Society and together they recently established an endowed fund at the Elk County Community Foundation. The Animal Emergency Care Fund was established to provide shelter animals with life threating medical care.

When the Humane Society formed over 10 years ago, it immediately became clear that veterinary bills were to become a huge part of their operating costs. Local veterinarians have always been generous in donating time and supplies to area animals in need, but as the shelter grew, so did the need for funds to help rehabilitate some of the most serious cases that have been brought in by humane officers. “I don’t think anyone was really prepared for some of the more serious abuse cases that came through the shelter doors” commented Veronica. Seeing an animal that’s been neglected, starved, beaten, shot, or hit by a car is always terrible, but it’s incredibly rewarding to see those animals transformed by veterinarians, shelter staff and volunteers into loving pets looking for a new chance at a happy life. There is always a need for help, and there is always someone willing to offer that help, but medical costs can often be a problem when tough decisions need to be made.

Frenchie is a prime example of an animal that will benefit from this new fund. He was never abused or neglected, but Frenchie’s human companion Dr. Parlavecchio, died unexpectedly on Easter Day, 2014 and Frenchie suddenly found himself at the Shelter. While he was still trying to settle in, it was discovered that he had kidney stones and needed immediate emergency surgery. After recovering from surgery, he also suffered from some minor medical issues. Thanks to the patience and care of everyone involved with Frenchie, he is now available for adoption to a new forever home. If you think Frenchie is the dog for you, call the Elk County Humane Society at 834-3247 to see if he’s a match. Or, stop by and check out all of the other great animals there just waiting for their second chance!

If you, or someone you know, is interested in helping the Human Society with these kinds of special emergencies you can get more information about making a contribution to the Animal Emergency Care Fund by contacting Paula Fritz Eddy, Executive Director at Community Foundation.

The mission of the Elk County Community Foundation is to strengthen our region through development, stewardship and grant making as donors achieve their philanthropic goals. Its vision is to connect people who care with causes that matter. The Foundation assists donors who are interested in starting a fund to benefit nearly any charitable organization or cause that they want to support, whether as a named fund or in the memory of a deceased family member or friend. The Animal Emergency Care Fund will provide shelter animals with life threating medical care for years to come. It is one of 119 different funds the Foundation manages. If interested learning more about the Foundation, people are encouraged to contact them by calling 814-834-2125 or visiting its website at www.elkcountyfoundation.com.

Pictured with “Frenchie” R to L

Veronica Conrad, “Frenchie”, Paula Fritz Eddy, and Heather Conrad

Donor Advisor for a Day

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The Women Who Care (WWC) Steering Committee again had a Donor Advisor for a Day “membership drive” for the 2014-15 membership year, that allowed members who registered early to give a grant to a charity of their choice. One new and one renewing member was chosen. The St. Marys Pounder Girls Softball Travel Teams was the grateful recipient of a donation from Barb Fiedler, a new member of WWC. Barb made the donation of $250 to help the new group that formed in the area. Barb chose this group because she remembered her mother was so proud of her softball trophy she received in high school. The Pounders are a made up of players from the St Marys Girls Little League who want to participate in tournament play. The funds will be used for batting helmets and accessories.

Women Who Care, a local group which is a project of the Elk County Community Foundation, is dedicated to addressing the needs of women and families throughout Elk County. WWC is still accepting members for 2015. Membership year runs from Oct 1, 2014 to September 30, 2015 with membership dues due by June 1, 2015. Membership commitments are appreciated and welcomed at this time.

Pictured Left to right:

Standing: From the St. Marys Pounders are Bob Young and Eric Weisner. Sitting is Women Who Care member Barb Fielder and Jim Wolf from the St. Marys Pounders.

New Fund Established to Support Brockway Community

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New Fund Established to Support Brockway Community

The Elk County Community Foundation recently met with local organizations and groups that will benefit from the creation of a new Fund at the Foundation. The Caroline E. Longwell Fund will provide perpetual gifts to six local agencies that include: Brockway Area High School Student Loan Fund, Brockway Mengel Memorial Library, Brockway Volunteer Hose Company, Brockway Ambulance Service, Sugar Hill Presbyterian Church and Brockway Presbyterian Church.

Caroline has been described and a generous, caring and dedicated educator in the Brockway area by the agency representative when they met for lunch at the Rocky Grill, recently. In 2006 Ms. Longwell and S & T Bank established a Charitable Remainder Unitrust. While Caroline was living it provided her with a quarterly distribution and upon her passing it will now provide a perpetual gift to the six local agencies that will be administered by the Elk County Community Foundation

Recently, Paula Fritz Eddy, Executive Director of the Foundation met with
representatives from the agencies to present the first of the annual distributions. $12,400 in all was distributed and at the luncheon where a number of stories and memories where share about Caroline and her love of her community.

Dan Hawkins and Laurie Piccirillo told us how Ms. Longwell was a motivator and one of the founders of the Brockway Area High School Student Load Fund, held and the school. She served as the Finance Secretary to the Student Loan program for many years. The program began around 1953 and has provided over $1 million of student loans to Brockway students. Caroline was also a math teacher and went on to become the guidance counselor at the high school.

Jim Grant and Rev. Clair Lundberg explained that Caroline had grown up in Sugar Grove and went to the Presbyterian church there as a child. At the time when she moved to Brockway, the Brockway and Sugar Grove churches were yoked together and during her adult years she was involved and attended services at both churches. To their knowledge Ms. Longwell remained a member at Sugar Grove Presbyterian Church.

Brockway Volunteer Hose Company’s Terry Fusine shared with the group his story of dinners that he would attend with Caroline and it seemed often he would be called out to the Hose Company for an emergency. Over the years she became interested in the training and sacrifices that the volunteers from both the Hose company and the ambulance crews were involved with. She truly valued their commitment and services to her community.

Though not able to attend the luncheon Ed Ferraro, the representative from the Brockway Mengel Memorial Library, stated the “Education was her life and including the library was a natural for Caroline. She loved helping children learn”

The mission of the Community Foundation is to strengthen our region through development, stewardship and grant making as donors achieve their philanthropic goals. Its vision is to connect people who care with causes that matter. The Foundation assists donors who are interested in starting a fund to benefit nearly any charitable organization or cause that they want to support, whether as a named fund or in the memory of a deceased family member or friend. The Caroline E. Longwell Fund that will benefit the community of Brockway through agencies that were imported to Ms. Longwell is one of 118 different funds the Foundation manages. If interested learning more about the Foundation people are encouraged to contact Paula at the Foundation by calling 814-834-2125 or visiting its website at www.elkcountyfoundation.com.

Pictured from L to R

Sitting Paula Fritz Eddy, Executive Director of the Foundation, Rev. Clair Lundberg and Jim Grant of Brockway Presbyterian Church; Laurie Piccirillo of Brockway Area School District

Standing are Terry Fustine and Brad Gankosky of the Brockway Volunteer Hose Company; Don Moore and Paul Verne of the Brockway Ambulance Services and Dan Hawkins of the Brockway Area School District.

Elk County Society for Special Services Opens Fund

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Elk County Society for Special Services Opens Fund for Competitative Grants

Recently, the board and volunteer of the Elk County Society for Special Services closed their doors but the work done by these dedicated volunteers will be remembered and the funds they had will continue to serve pre-k students for generations to come. The Elk County Society for Special Services has had an endowment fund with the Elk County Community Foundation since 2003. With the sale of their “Learning Center” facility on the Johnsonburg Road, they added those dollars to their endowment and redirected the funds to a competitive grant program. Even though the organization has dissolved their mission to serve pre-k students with educational programing will continue.

The Elk County Community Foundation will be accepting grant applications from any nonprofit agency which provides services for the purposes of providing Pre-K education. The application should improve programs that are already established or develop new programs. The funds will not cover direct operating expenses of an agency rather it hopes to enhance already established programs. The competitive grant application is available on the Foundations website www.elkcountyfoundaiton.com . This inaugural grant cycle has a deadline of January 15, 2015. Applications will be acted upon and award by March1. This first year the fund has $2800 to award.
Pat Straub, past President of the organization, said of the newly established grant program “Over the years many local, caring people gave of their time, talents, and found available resources to provide for student at a time when other agencies or schools where unable to do it. Innovation in programming to meet the needs of our community had evolved through the years — from special needs of children to literacy, hearing, speech — as well as quality early learning initiatives which were not available through normal channels for many years. The dedicated board always found a way to ‘get it done’ on a shoestring budget funded in large part through private donations and limited funding sources. This perpetual monetary fund will help those agencies and groups enhance their programing needs, fund special projects, and maximize the impact of giving back to the community.”
The partnership between the Elk County Society for Special Services and the Elk County Community Foundation though has changed, but, the dollars will continue to serve pre-k students. To learn more about applying for this grant, establishing a fund or even how someone can support the good works the many organizations in the community contact Paula Fritz Eddy at the Elk County Community Foundation office by calling at 834-2125 or contacting them through their website at www.elkcountyfoundation.com.

Pictured at their final meeting are members of the Elk County Society for Special Services board from left to right around the table: Gloria Straub, Rosemary Fritz, Jean Masson, Eleanor Green, Susy Straub and Pat Straub. See More