As previously reported, the Eastside Fellowship Club closed its doors because of rising insurance costs, dwindling club membership, loss of rental revenues and other external factors.

The club decided to sell its property to another non-profit and chose to honor the memory and wishes of its original World War II founding veterans by donating all its remaining money to various non-profits organizations and worthy causes.

“We wanted to honor the memory of our founders and follow our club by-laws,” said Dan Rickard, Eastside Fellowship Club president. “We’ve got a few checks we want to give out. These checks will be donated and stay locally.”

The checks issued Tuesday ranged from $1,500 to $10,000 and were donated to a variety of organizations and a veteran-based project. Some organizations to receive donations included the Winifred Crawford Dibert Boys & Girls Club of Jamestown, Hospice of Chautauqua County, Allen Park Women’s Club and the city’s Parks and Recreation Department for use only with the development and cultivation of Veterans Memorial Park.

From left, Jeffrey Kroon, executive director of the Winifred Crawford Dibert Boys & Girls Club of Jamestown, receives a check from a member of the Eastside Fellowship Club. President Dan Rickard is pictured in back.

“With these gifts your club lives on,” Mayor Eddie Sundquist said.

The generous donations will have far reaching and a long-lasting effect, the mayor indicated.