NNYCF hands out awards from Community Fund for Theresa

THERESA, N.Y. (WWTI) – A pair of grant awards from the Community Fund for Theresa totaling $4,500 will support new historical markers along Route 37 and the launch of the Dolly Parton Imagination Library by the Theresa Free Library.

The Community Fund for Theresa is a permanent grantmaking fund of the Northern New York
Community Foundation that will forever support programs, activities, and initiatives to advance the general welfare of the Theresa community. Lifelong Theresa residents Russell I. and Mary Wilcox established this family legacy fund at the Community Foundation in 2020 to help strengthen the quality of life in their community.

A $3,000 grant to the town of Theresa will support the State Route 37 Historical Marker Signage project. Two historical markers will be installed along NYS Route 37 to commemorate the significance of Old Military Road, which includes Hiram Becker’s Red Tavern, a pivotal site for the Patriot War meetings, and Chaufty’s Corners, a once-thriving community hub. The nearby Chaufty’s Corners Cemetery is the resting place for at least eight soldiers who served in the War of 1812.

A $1,500 grant to the Theresa Free Library will help launch the Dolly Parton Imagination Library for children in the Village and Town of Theresa, as well as the broader Indian River Lakes Region of Jefferson County. The initiative aims to address the critical need for early childhood literacy by mailing free, high-quality, age-appropriate books monthly to children newborn to five years old.

The library will leverage resources provided by the Dolly Parton Imagination Library, including training modules and a custom application portal. Local efforts will also include production of promotional materials to raise awareness in the community. The program aims to eventually reach 65 percent of eligible children within the local area.

This fund is a wonderful example of the ability to make a difference in ways that are especially
meaningful to a donor. We are grateful for Mr. Wilcox’s trust and confidence in us to support programs in the Theresa area on his behalf both now and in the future.

Rande Richardson, NNYCF Executive Director

Applications for 2025 funding from the Community Fund for Theresa will be accepted this fall with award decisions made next spring. Grant support is available to qualified organizations whose missions and efforts align with the fund’s charitable purposes. Contact Kraig Everard, Community Foundation director of stewardship and programs, at kraig@nnycf.org, or 315-782-7110, to learn more.

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