Lake Placid, NY – The Adirondack Community Trust (ACT) is proud to announce that $20,000 in grants was awarded from the Uihlein-Ironman Sports Fund of Lake Placid to talented local athletes and organizations promoting youth sports during a ceremony at Heaven Hill Farm on Sunday, October 3, 2010.
This is the sixth year of distributing funds from the Uihlein-Ironman Sports Fund of Lake Placid. The fund makes grants to competitive young local athletes with proficiency in regional, national and international levels of sport. Also funded are nonprofit organizations providing programming that introduces the world of winter and summer sports to our regional youth, thus creating the next generation of competitive athletes.
A unique partnership between the Henry Uihlein II and Mildred A. Uihlein Foundation and North America Sports, Inc., now known as World Triathlon Corporation, was the impetus for the founding of the Fund in 2004. The goal was to help local athletes achieve their dreams of excellence, while continuing the legacy of Lake Placid as the winter sports capital of the world. There is a five member committee, made up of committed local residents and representatives from the sponsoring organizations, that reviews the applications and recommends distributions from the fund each year.
Seventeen dedicated local athletes will receive grants this year: Aaron Barge, luge; Brian Berghorn, bobsled; Nathan Capone, Nordic combined; AnneliesCook, biathlon; Colin Delaney, Nordic combined; Nicholas Edwards, freestyle skiing; Annie Frenette, ski jumping; Peter Frenette, ski jumping; Colin Grady,snowboarding; Oliver Holmes, freestyle skiing; Anna Izzo, Nordic skiing; Joey Izzo, Nordic skiing; Haley Johnson, biathlon; Katie Madden, alpine skiing; Sean Madden, alpine skiing; Briana Munoz, luge; and Maile Sapp, Nordic skiing.
Seven nonprofit organizations will also receive grants: Friends of Mt. Pisgah for low cost ski lessons for area youth, Tupper Lake Nordic Ski Program for the purchase of equipment, Lake Placid Central School for equipment to get the Lake Placid Mountain Bike Club up and running, New York Ski Education Foundation (NYSEF) for the purchase of specialized skis for beginning/novice ski jumpers, Skating Club of Lake Placid towards equipment for adaptive/therapeutic skating program for disabled youth, Tri-Lakes Youth Lacrosse toward the purchase of 2 lacrosse goals for K-2 level teams and the Town of Wilmington for ski passes and rental equipment for the youth ski program.
"As the community foundation serving the Adirondack region, we are very honored to have a fund dedicated to supporting local sports organizations and competitive athletes," said Cali Brooks, Executive Director of ACT. "As an endowed fund, it will be available to future generations, ensuring a legacy of athletic promise."
Chairman of the Uihlein Foundation, John Leekley Jr. said, "Henry Uihlein would be very pleased at how the UISF is helping Lake Placid athletes achieve their goals". And Ironman Lake Placid Race Director, Jeff Edwards said, "Ironman is proud to remain involved with the Uihlein-Ironman Sports Fund in its continuing support of local athletes and community sports programs".
ACT's mission is encouraging philanthropy to serve the Adirondack Region. To fulfill this mission, ACT works with donors to establish charitable funds, distribute grants, assist donors, and prudently manage its resources. For more information or to make a donation to the Uihlein-Ironman Sports Fund, please contact ACT at Heaven Hill Farm, PO Box 288, Lake Placid, New York 12946, call us at 518.523.9904 or visit www.GenerousACT.org.
