Legacy
It is commonplace for many of us to avoid estate planning for a whole host of reasons, including avoidance or procrastination, the belief that it is strictly for older adults or those with lots of money or property, or simply because we don’t know where...
When Bob Vitkus passed away last year, his estate named the Community Foundation the recipient of $10 million to support outdoor parks and recreation areas, a cause that had significant importance to him.
Through their work in the fields of medicine and education, Jef Sneider and Gwen Kay have spent their lives teaching and caring for adults. When the couple began giving charitably together, they both agreed on one thing: they wanted to advocate for children.
Thanks to the generosity of former Cayuga County resident Donald Trufant, a $3 million scholarship fund will award annual scholarships to graduates of Auburn and Union Springs high schools.
The generosity of this brother-sister team will now carry on into perpetuity. Already it has provided meaningful grants to programs in Syracuse and surrounding communities.
Visiting Idaho and Montana every year to fish, the Spanfelners felt a strong connection to nature and sought to honor it with their field-of-interest fund.
Don Ryder lived a very private and quiet life in Baldwinsville, NY. But when he passed away, he left an indelible mark on our community by leaving his entire estate to benefit CNY charities.
Those who knew Dorothy Riester knew that she was a talented artist and sculptor. Dorothy was the founder of Stone Quarry Hill Art Park in Cazenovia, one of the world’s first art-in-nature parks, and created a fund at the Community Foundation to ensure the long-term...
Gale Owen was a smart, caring and giving woman with many talents, including her signature whistle. Now her legacy is carrying on her support for organizations that empower the lives of local women and girls.
The kindness and compassion of Jim and Aileen is something that their friends remember fondly. Their foresight and generosity allow their kindness to live on and the fruits of their success to continue supporting the community they called home.