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New name reinforces the community foundation’s deep commitment to serving the people and places of the Adirondack region
LAKE PLACID, NY — Adirondack Foundation has officially changed its name to Adirondack Community Foundation, a move that highlights the organization’s long-standing mission: to strengthen Adirondack communities through donor generosity, partnerships, and strategic investment.
“Adding the word community to our name is about clarity and purpose,” said William Creighton, Board Chair of Adirondack Community Foundation. “It reflects who we’ve always been — a community foundation, not a private foundation. It’s philanthropy that’s of, for, and about the people of the Adirondack region — and it signals our continued commitment to bringing donors together to meet urgent needs and build a stronger future.”
Since its founding in 1997, Adirondack Community Foundation has served as a hub for regional generosity. It has grown to steward more than 300 charitable funds created by individuals, families, businesses, and nonprofits. The foundation is the largest grantmaker in the Adirondack region, awarding more than $10 million annually to support local nonprofits, schools, and municipalities, often in partnership with fundholders who make grants with community foundation guidance.
“My husband, Jim Herman, and I opened a donor advised fund at Adirondack Community Foundation, because its network of both donors and nonprofits meant we could join with others to have a greater impact than we could make on our own,” said Dave Mason, of Keene.
Through its work, Adirondack Community Foundation supports solutions to pressing issues such as food insecurity, affordable housing, child care access, educational opportunity, and economic development. Recent initiatives include:
Reweaving the Adirondack Social Safety Net through partnerships with the Mother Cabrini Health Foundation and the John Rugge Center for Community Impact.
Advancing early childhood outcomes through the Adirondack Birth to Three Alliance.
Supporting local job creation through the Adirondack Innovation Initiative.
Fostering civic engagement via the Trust for Civic Life.
Making local impact investments in workforce housing and small business development.
“Adirondack Community Foundation is a lasting, trusted source of support in the good times and the bad,” said Cali Brooks, President and CEO. “We are here during economic downturns, climate emergencies, and pandemics. In these uncertain times, we’re equipped for the long haul, ready to provide stability when our neighbors need it the most.”
Batten down the hatches! We will see some widespread gusty winds materialize around daybreak on Friday and continue into the early afternoon. West winds of 20-30 mph with gusts up to 50 mph could cause minor tree damage and/or scattered power outages.
Today I received letters from students in Peru Central School District’s 8th grade class. They shared with me their concerns about issues they’re seeing with the environment and wildlife. I love hearing from young students about their concerns and seeing them getting involved in being a voice for change. Thank you to their teachers and parents for helping them with this assignment, and for encouraging our next generation of leaders to stand up for what they believe in.
“It honors the day in 1865 when Union troops arrived in Galveston, Texas, and told the last enslaved African Americans they were free, more than two years after the Emancipation Proclamation had been signed.”
Warm to hot temperatures and muggy conditions will help increase the risk of isolated to scattered severe thunderstorms. The main time window will be between 2 PM and 8 PM. Storms could produce a variety of weather hazards today. After the front, gusts up to 35 mph are possible.
June 9, 2026 Town Board Meeting – The Senior Construction Manager at AES Northeast presented the near-term construction schedule for the wastewater treatment plant. The general contractor, Murnane Building Contractors, is set to arrive at the site on Monday, June 16, to erect signage, install electricity, and bring in trailers. Erosion control measures will follow the week of June 23. Metcalf mentioned that trucks will haul in 60,000 cubic yards of fill material and remove 10,000 cubic yards. With each dump truck carrying 20 cubic yards, this means 3,500 trucks will either enter or exit the site. Metcalf referred to the project as “trucking intensive.” The town has sent an advisory letter to residents on North Bend Street to inform them about the expected increase in traffic.
The board approved two initial payments for the wastewater plant upgrade: $28,139 to Triangle Electric and $116,850 to John Danforth & Co. The town is funding the project through both short-term and long-term borrowing.
Counselor Jim Douglass concluded that Dianne Miller’s records as Town Clerk and Tax Collector are “well-organized, with no exceptions” following his internal audit. Douglass also inquired about whether town personnel would be setting up pickleball nets at Sullivan Park, leading to a brief discussion, but no decision was reached.
Rick Barber, Chairman of the town’s America250 Committee, updated the board on plans to install a flagpole near two historical monuments at the Peru Dock.
Youth Director Kirsten Marion reported that instructors have been found for tennis and basketball. The program currently has three boys’ Peewee teams, three girls’ Peewee teams, two boys’ Grasshopper teams, two girls’ Grasshopper teams, one girls’ Pony team, and four T-Ball teams.
Assistant Highway Superintendent Tyler Jarvis reported maintenance issues with the grader and two trucks. One truck has been repaired and is back in service, but both roadside mowers are currently out of service, awaiting parts and repairs.
Highway Superintendent Michael Farrell reported that a new pickup truck arrived with issues related to its grill color. Additionally, the delivery of a plow truck ordered two years ago has been delayed because the box, front plow hitch, sander, and salt controls are still pending from the supplier. Farrell is considering changing suppliers as a result. He also indicated that tests have determined that the culverts on Fuller, Wescott, and Lyons Roads are located in wetlands, which means they require approval for replacement plans from the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers. Furthermore, the Army Corps has yet to approve the plans for the closed Telegraph Road bridge.
Historian Helen Nerska is organizing a Peru History tour scheduled for Saturday, June 28, starting at the town hall at 10 a.m. Nerska and Chris Mullen will also host a history chat featuring members of the Peru Central Class of 1957 at the town hall on Monday, June 23.
Pam Barber has arranged the schedule for all summer concerts, which can be found on the town’s website.
The Peru Gazette expresses gratitude to Bill Baggs for videoing this meeting.
PERU | St. Augustine’s Church in Peru has announced the formation of the North Country Community Disaster Hub, a new regional initiative to provide coordinated response, training, and relief services in the event of natural disasters or community-wide emergencies.
The Hub will be located in the former St. Augustine’s School, now functioning as the parish center, directly across the street from the church. The facility will serve as a multi-purpose emergency response site, offering space for shelter, resource distribution, volunteer training, and collaborative planning with community partners throughout Clinton, Essex, and Franklin Counties.
“Our parish center has always been a place of service,” said Fr. Christopher Looby, pastor of St. Augustine’s. “Now it will also become a place of readiness and hope—ready to serve our neighbors in times of crisis.”
The North Country Community Disaster Hub is being developed in partnership with St. Joseph’s Outreach Center, The United Way, the American Red Cross, local Volunteer Organizations Active in Disaster (VOAD) networks, county emergency services, and a growing number of nonprofit and faith-based partners. Planned upgrades to the facility include accessible showers, laundry facilities, and a generator system to ensure resilience during power outages.
In addition to infrastructure improvements, the Hub will host training events for shelter volunteers, trauma and crisis responders, and agency personnel preparing for possible Multi-Agency Resource Center (MARC) activations during large-scale emergencies.
The creation of the Disaster Hub reflects a growing commitment across the North Country to prepare collaboratively for future challenges—including storms, flooding, and prolonged outages—while building stronger bonds between service agencies, faith communities, and volunteers.
Further announcements, including upcoming training opportunities and community events, will be made in the coming weeks.
For more information contact Jackie Black at 518-561-5039.