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The Clinton Central School District was among recipients of a Town-Gown Fund grant.
The Clinton Central School District was among recipients of a Town-Gown Fund grant.

The Hamilton College Town-Gown Fund made $60,000 in grants to six organizations last week, bringing the total disbursed from the endowment to $505,175.

“We have reached a significant milestone for this program,” said Hamilton President and Town-Gown Fund Committee Chair Joan Hinde Stewart. “With continued prudent stewardship, the investments in the town and the village will grow.”

This year, the Clinton Central School District received the largest single grant in the fund’s history: $22,000 for teacher training and materials to implement the common core standards. The district has now been awarded more than $127,000 from the Town-Gown Fund.

Other organizations receiving grants this year include the Kirkland Town Library, $13,000 for maintenance and repair of the building’s exterior; the Kirkland Art Center, $8,000 for fire safety and exterior safety and remediation measures; and the Clinton Fire Department, $7,000 to purchase new EMS equipment. The Clinton Central School Foundation received $6,000 to support district priorities, and the Kirkland Police Department was awarded $4,000 to purchase a pole-mounted radar speed display similar to the unit currently installed on Kellogg Street. The Clinton Fire Department is the second largest beneficiary of Town-Gown grants: $82,000. The Clinton Central School Foundation has received a total of nearly $55,000.

As stipulated in the agreement that established the Hamilton College Town-Gown Fund, grants can only be made to organizations and agencies serving the Town of Kirkland and the Village of Clinton, with a primary focus on education. Funds have been used to purchase computer hardware, software and printers; conduct a summer history camp; maintain and repair facilities and make them accessible to handicapped patrons; purchase EMS equipment for emergency responders; support youth programs at the pool, library and art center; and provide training for public safety officials.

The Hamilton College Town-Gown Fund was created in 2001 by anonymous donors to foster goodwill and communication among the college and residents of the Town of Kirkland and the Village of Clinton. Since its founding, the endowed fund has received more than $1 million in gifts. Each year, the income earned from investing those donations is used to make grants to organizations in the Town of Kirkland.

In addition to Stewart, members of the Town-Gown Committee include local businesspeople Fran Alteri of Alteri’s Restaurant, Corrine Gachowski of Krizia Martin, Oneida County legislator George Joseph of North Star Orchards and Deli Rogers of Owens-Pavlot & Rogers Funeral Service; Clinton Village Trustee Jack Behrens; Clinton Central Schools Superintendent Matt Reilly; Hamilton Professor of French John O’Neal; Hamilton Point Investment Advisors President Andrew Burns; and Hamilton College trustees Amy Owens Goodfriend and Jack Withiam. Goodfriend and Burns are natives of Clinton and graduates of Hamilton. Gachowski and Withiam are also Hamilton graduates.

Hamilton Vice President for Communications and Development Dick Tantillo and Assistant Vice President for Communications Mike Debraggio serve the committee as ex officio members. Donations to the fund can be made by contacting Tantillo or Debraggio.

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