The John Edward McLaughlin Family Fund awarded $2,730 to five non-profit organizations during the 2012 grant process.
The field of interest fund was established in 2007 to support charitable activity of religious and non-religious organizations in Randolph and is administered through the Chautauqua Region Community Foundation. Applications are due every year on April 15.
A selection committee then reviews all grant requests and makes decisions to best fit the criteria of the fund.
Article Photos
The Chautauqua Region Community Foundation staff and John E. McLaughlin Family Fund grant selection committee are pictured with representatives of several organizations receiving grants in 2012. Front row, from left, are Randy Sweeney, Chautauqua Region Community Foundation executive director; Sandy Brace, Randolph Historical Society; Pastor Ken Schultz, Randolph First Baptist Church; John Congdon, Randolph Fire Company and Tracey Barron, Camp Weeden. Back row, from left, are committee members Liz Jackson, Fred Nagle, Yvonne Carlson and Carolyn Congdon. A representative from Camp Li Lo Li was unable to attend.
This year, the committee approved grants for the following organizations: Camp Li Lo Li and Camp Weeden, which operates through the Randolph Area Community Development Corporation, for their respective summer camp programs; Randolph Fire Company to purchase carbon monoxide detectors to distribute to the public; Randolph First Baptist Church to continue church counseling ministries and The Randolph Historical Society to paint the exterior of the Dow Building.
Born and raised in Randolph, John McLaughlin and his wife, Bea, owned and operated the Cain Oil Company, a gas service station and small store, in East Randolph for more than 20 years.
They had one son, Patrick, who was born with medical and physical problems. Before John's passing in 2001 he bequest a portion of his estate to create a fund to honor his hometown.
To date, more than $20,000 has been granted to a variety of organizations to better serve the community.
For more information on the John E. McLaughlin Family Fund, or to make a tax-deductible donation, call the Chautauqua Region Community Foundation at 661-3390 or visit www.crcfonline.org.