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Kenneth V. and Jeannette Remp Sawyer Community Fund
Announces $60,000 in Grant Funding Awards
Published: August 08, 2025
at 08:30 a.m.
By: Press Release from Northern New York Community
Foundation
Kenneth V. and Jeannette Remp Sawyer Community Fund
Announces $60,000 in Grant Funding
Thirteen Organizations Will Share Support for a Wide
Range of Community Projects and Programs to Strengthen Quality of Life for
Local Residents
BOONVILLE — Thirteen
community projects and organizations that benefit Boonville,
Constableville, and Westernville residents will
share $60,000 in funding from the Kenneth V. and Jeannette Remp Sawyer Community
Fund of the Northern New York Community Foundation this year.
Mr. and Mrs.
Sawyer were passionate about enhancing the quality of life in these three
communities. They participated in many community activities and volunteered
with several meaningful organizations. As part of their enduring gift to
the region, they created a community fund that would benefit citizens of
all ages in these communities in perpetuity.
Because of the
family’s thoughtful legacy gift, the Sawyer Community Fund has awarded
nearly $387,000 in grants to 105 projects and organizations since 2018.
Grants awarded this year will help fund projects and build programs that
broadly impact the quality of life in the places Mr. and Mrs. Sawyer loved
most.
“We are thankful
for the exemplary stewardship by present and past grant recipients, said
Max DelSignore, Northern New York Community Foundation vice president.
“These organizations and community groups understand how meaningful Mr. and
Mrs. Sawyer’s gift is to the community and how it is making a true difference.
This part of their legacy is a perfect example of how you can leave a
lasting gift to your community.”
The following
organizations will receive 2025 grant funding from the Sawyer Community
Fund:
·
Boonville Black River Canal Museum, $12,000 to help
a larger effort to complete a roof cover from the Mule Barn to the
Blacksmith Shop. Funding will help reduce the overall cost toward the
project and bring it closer to fruition.
·
Constable Hall Association, $8,000 to
purchase an outdoor event tent that would hold up to 150 people and stand
adjacent to the main garden on the grounds. This grant bridges the funding
gap needed to acquire the tent.
·
Erwin Library and Institute, $8,000 to
replace current bluestone steps with granite steps and install a new
railing at the historic entrance of the library. Completion of this project
over the summer will create a safe entrance for all patrons.
·
Village of Constableville, $7,500 — The
village experienced success last summer with two community events — a
community color run and a bandstand concert series. This grant will support
two years of concert performers and this year’s color run event.
·
Constableville Volunteer Fire Company, $5,000 to
renovate a community room that is utilized for an assortment of activities.
Improvements include a video surveillance system, adaptable seating, tables
and chairs, and other aesthetic enhancements. The multi-purpose space is
used for fire trainings, educational classes,
blood drives, community events and more.
·
Dodge Pratt Northam Art and Community Center, $4,000 to
ensure the success of summer youth and children’s musical theater
productions for ages 5 to 18. Funding will also help restore on-site
Victorian gardens.
·
Village of Boonville, $2,800 to help
acquire two Automated External Defibrillators (AEDs) to enhance emergency
response capabilities within the Village and Town of Boonville.
·
Adirondack Community Chorus, $2,700 to cover
costs such as sheet music, musician fees, and related event promotion for a
program of theater musical pieces at Boonville Presbyterian Church in
spring 2026.
·
Western Town Library, $2,500 to
complete technology upgrades, including a color printer for its computer
lab, new laptop for the library’s director and a new desktop computer for
the circulation desk.
·
Boonville Concert Band, $2,000 to
conduct a four-performance summer series in Boonville. Funding will help
with musician, narrator/emcee, and sound technician costs.
·
Boonville Search and Rescue Association, $2,000 to help
with immediate repairs of a broken sewer pipe at their building, which is
used as a warming hut for trail-goers and seasonal activities.
·
Boonville Youth Athletic Association, $2,000 to
support the installation of two barn doors on its batting cages, as well as
safety bases for all fields. The organization and its facilities are
utilized by youth and families in Boonville and surrounding communities.
·
Volunteer Income Tax Assistance (VITA), $1,500 to
acquire proper supplies to keep this program going to serve village/area
residents. On average, 250 tax returns are completed through this effort
annually.
About Kenneth V.
and Jeannette Remp Sawyer
 Kenneth V. and Jeannette Remp Sawyer participated in
many community events and activities through the years and served on local
boards and committees. Mr. Sawyer was a Boonville native, served in the United
States Army, and enjoyed a career at Layng Furniture Company and as a
supervisor at Boonville’s Erwin Park. Most notably, he was a talented
musician. He played tenor saxophone in his high school band and clarinet
with the Boonville Village Band. He frequently played with three separate
drum and bugle corps in Boonville and Rome. Mr. Sawyer passed away in 2008.
Mrs. Sawyer
completed a successful career of more than 45 years at Rome Savings Bank
and was an avid follower of the stock market. She also served on the
finance committee of Boonville United Methodist Church. She assisted
organizations such as the Daughters of the
American Revolution, Dodge Pratt Northam Art and Community Center, the
Erwin Library, and the Boonville Cemetery. Mrs. Sawyer passed away in 2015.
In 2017, the
Kenneth V. Sawyer and Jeannette Remp Sawyer Scholarship Fund was
established through the Northern New York Community Foundation to benefit
Adirondack Central School graduates. The endowed fund will award two
scholarships each year forever, supporting the business and music pursuits
of high school graduates from the district.
The application
for the next grant cycle for funding from the Kenneth V. and Jeannette Remp
Sawyer Community Fund will be available in early 2026.
About the
Northern New York Community Foundation
Since 1929, the
Northern New York Community Foundation has invested in improving and
enriching the quality of life for all in communities across Jefferson,
Lewis, and St. Lawrence counties.
Through
partnerships with businesses and organizations, charitable foundations, and generous families and individual
donors, the Community Foundation awards grants and scholarships from an
endowment and collection of funds that benefit the region. Its commitment
to donors helps individuals achieve their charitable objectives now and for
generations to come by preserving and honoring legacies of community
philanthropy while inspiring others.
The Community
Foundation is a resource for local charitable organizations, donors,
professional advisors and nonprofit organizations. It also works to bring
people together at its permanent home in the Northern New York Philanthropy
Center to discuss challenges our communities face and find creative solutions
that strengthen the region and make it a great place to live, work, and
play.
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