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It’s time for this week’s edition of The Ripple Report, where we bring you news and updates related to The Foundation for Community Betterment. In the past few weeks, we’ve spotlighted the exciting events taking place on the weekend of July 11th, the raffles and fundraising that are integral to fulfilling the mission of Betterment, and some of our dedicated new volunteer members. This week’s focus will be highlighting some of the community organizations that have been recipients of the generosity and support of Betterment. The national Foundation for Community Betterment was founded in 2000. It began with a small group of individuals working together to help one child in need. Once they had accomplished that, they realized how many other individuals, families and communities are in need, and that working together they could make a difference. Their mission statement is, “We help people and organizations when they need it most, starting a ripple effect of goodness in our communities and beyond.” Our local chapter began in 2001, and since that year the Alexandria Bay Chapter has given over $350,000 back to our community. Individuals, families and groups right here in the region have experienced a need and have had that need met. It's not often that you can donate to a cause and know with certainty that your contribution is making a direct impact on those who need it most. That is the power of The Foundation for Community Betterment. Those reading might find themselves wondering how these individuals, families and organizations are chosen. In order to be considered, recipients of funds must be thoughtfully nominated by someone. They must also demonstrate a spirit of giving. In addition, the funds must make an immediate and specific difference to that individual's life or that of the organization. Nominations are agreed upon by the local chapter, with final review and approval coming from the National Board of Directors. We will spotlight individual and family recipients in a later article. This week the focus is on several organizations in our community, all of which we rely on in times of need as well as for entertainment, education, and wellness. Last year, Betterment donated to two of our local Fire Departments to help support some different needs that had arisen. Funds were contributed to the Alexandria Bay Fire Department to help with construction of a new volunteer training facility. In addition, the Plessis Fire Department needed a 40-foot wheelchair ramp that was necessary to allow them to occupy their new community building. Betterment pledged funds to help make that a possibility.
The Macsherry Library in Alexandria Bay has a well-attended children’s story time each week. They are also a hub for numerous activity programs that engage and entertain children and adults alike. Betterment provided the library with a new adjustable activity table that can be used by all. In years past child-sized picnic tables have also been purchased for the library lawn. Seating and an activity table are small but mighty “ripples” that help to enhance and expand programs offered by the library, which is a well-known gem of a resource in our community.  Jackson Dunlap (left) and Hayden Trickey (right) enjoy a craft during story time at Macsherry Library. Anyone who has ever entertained small children knows that opportunities for safe outdoor play are essential. Betterment worked in conjunction with the Alex Bay Improvement Association to add toddler play equipment to Rotary Park in the village. Another way Betterment has helped the youth population in our community is through the Backpack Program at Alexandria Central School. This program provides weekend food assistance for students and families in need. Our organization purchased backpacks to house the food that travels from school to homes each week.  Grayson and Cooper Ramm enjoying the day at Rotary Park in Alex Bay. For those “young at heart”, the Boomer Movers Group is a free weekly interactive fitness class for older adults. It has become immensely popular in not only providing strength training and fitness, but a sense of community and empowerment as well. Betterment provided weights and resistance bands to help enhance their classes.  Boomer Movers instructor Amy Byrns Hillanbrand brings the energy of the program to life with a demonstration at last year’s Recipient Ceremony. Our community is tremendously fortunate to have a hospital that provides a full range of inpatient, outpatient and emergency services. One resource that is unique to River Hospital is Post-Traumatic Stress Services, which provides behavioral health support for active-duty military, veterans and those who work in high-risk occupations. Betterment with the purchase of tools and supplies needed to expand their art therapy program. We are also fortunate for the Reformed Church of the 1000 Islands, which provides free weekly spaghetti dinners to anyone in the community. This outreach requires both consistent volunteer effort and funds for the cost of food. Betterment paid for 1 month of meals to help offset the costs of such a kind and important program. Another group working hard to support members of our community focuses more on our furry friends. Alley Cat Rescue is an organization dedicated to caring for abandoned and/or feral cats. These cats are given shelter and care with the hopes that they will find new homes. Betterment helped with costs for spaying/neutering adopted cats, and vaccinations and care for those that are not adopted. Some of Betterment’s initiatives have become more of an annual priority. There are currently two different scholarships awarded to graduating seniors from Alexandria Central School. The Community Betterment Scholarship is awarded to an ACS senior who is continuing their education post-graduation, and whose good deeds and volunteer service show a positive contribution to the community, making a difference in the lives of others. The Community Betterment Technical Scholarship is awarded to a graduating senior who is headed into a technical, vocational trade-oriented program. Individuals are selected based upon grades, letters of recommendation and their history of volunteerism. The ripple effect is evident twofold with these scholarships. Betterment is helping goal-oriented students who have themselves already helped others in some way.  Patty Wagoner and ACS Superintendent Robert Fountain in front of the school with some of the backpacks used for the backpack program. It is evident through these stories of giving that often the period of time between a need and the donation does not have an urgent timeline. A need has arisen and there has been time to go through the proper channels to approve the expenditure. However, there are instances where people or organizations in need do not have the benefit of time. An emergency or crisis can occur at any time of the year, and financial support is often needed more quickly. That is where the Ron McLennan Immediate Need Fund comes into play. This fund was established in memory of Ronald J. McLennan, a member of Betterment’s host committee since its inception, who passed away in 2011. Mr. McLennan was Superintendent of Alexandria Central School for 27 years. He did so much for our community and created a ripple effect that personifies the mission of Betterment. Numerous people have been helped over the years through this important fund. Those wanting to donate specifically to the Ron McLennan Immediate Need Fund can find more information by visiting our website www.CommunityBetterment.org/AlexandriaBay
These are just a few examples of some organizations and groups that have been helped by the Foundation for Community Betterment in the past few years. Many of the individuals within these groups have been inspired to become involved and pay kindness forward themselves, which is truly the beauty and power of the ripple effect. As a reminder, our big events are soon approaching. Tennis and Golf will be taking place on Friday, July 11th at the Alex Bay Municipal Golf and Tennis Courts. The paddle will occur on Saturday morning, July 12th at Scenic View Park in Alex Bay. More information about the events for that weekend can be found at communitybetterment.org/alexandriabay. Come on out and have a great time while making a difference in our community.
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It’s time for another edition of “The Ripple Report”, where we bring you all the exciting news relating to The Foundation for Community Betterment. Last week’s article focused on the events on the weekend of July 11th that bring people together to paddle, play golf or tennis and raise money to support our great community. This week we are going to feature a few of our newer volunteers as well as highlighting some of the fundraising/prize-winning opportunities that help make Betterment the wonderful community support organization that it is. Two of our new volunteer members are Court and Louise Rutherford. Court is a lifelong River Rat. His early years were spent on the Seneca River, but eventually on the St. Lawrence. Court grew up in central New York but spent every summer of his life in the 1,000 Islands with his grandparents. After gaining degrees at both Syracuse University and RIT, Court settled in Baldwinsville, NY where he established his business. Five years ago, Court and his wife Louise moved their business to Alexandria Bay where they now own "4 Green Power Systems". As an active leader in many local fund-raising events as well as serving as Commissioner of the Alexandria Bay Joint Fire District, Court joined the Betterment Board last summer. He serves as Betterment’s Village and Town liaison, in addition to being actively involved in our Paddle, Welcome Party and Raffle sub-committees. Together, Court and Louise are teaming up to bring an exciting new addition to this year’s Welcome Party—a debut Silent Auction featuring five exclusive, experience-based packages, and river-inspired items. It’s a fun and meaningful way to help raise additional funds for our local recipients! Louise is a native of the state of Vermont, but then spent many years living in central New York. Louise’s love for the St. Lawrence River grew during the 18 summers that her family lived in the 1,000 Islands. Before moving to Alexandria Bay permanently, Louise enjoyed a successful career in the field of education; initially as a teacher and then serving in various administrative positions. On the river, Louise has been an active paddler in both a kayak and more recently as a standup paddle boarder. Always a teacher, Louise has worked with many people as they try to learn the art of standing on a paddle board. It's always great to have someone who participated as a paddler for Betterment, then join as a member on Betterment’s Board of Directors. Louise has joined the Technology Scholarship and Paddle event sub-committees, specifically taking on a leadership role in organizing paddle day safety.  Court and Louise are members of the Board of Directors, active volunteers and great supporters of our river community. A few other people who are devoting their time and energy to our good cause are Dave Keefe and Allison Williams. Dave grew up in Elmira, NY and graduated from RIT. He and his wife raised their two daughters in the Southern Tier and moved to the 1000 Islands a year ago. Dave spent several years as a sales manager in the beverage wholesale business. He currently works for Ward Diesel as a Sales and Marketing Coordinator. He’s paddled and helped out in past Betterment weekends and is excited to get even more involved this year. Allison Williams spent her childhood exploring the world as a proud military child before her family settled in the North Country. A 2006 graduate of Alexandria Central School, Allison’s deep connection to the region has only grown stronger over the years. She holds a Bachelor of Fine Arts from SUNY Oswego and a Master of Arts in Creative Arts Therapy Counseling from Hofstra University. Blending creativity with compassion, Allison has found great joy and purpose in her work at River Hospital’s Post-Traumatic Stress Services, where she supports healing through the power of art and empathy. Driven by a sense of service, Allison volunteers her time as a Board Member and Secretary for both the New York Art Therapy Association (NYATA) and the Fort Drum Chapter of the Association for the United States Army (AUSA). She recently joined our Chapter Board of Directors in 2024 and serves on both the “Paddle for Betterment” and “Welcome Party” Sub-committees—adding a creative element in anticipation of next year’s 25th Anniversary celebration! Allison also helps deliver introductory remarks at our Recipient Ceremony, helping set the tone for some of the most cherished moments of Community Betterment Weekend.
While our volunteers are integral to what we do, fundraising is an essential part of what allows Betterment to help and support our community. Thankfully our fundraising is fun, entertaining and sometimes even refreshing, especially when it involves ice cold glasses of lemonade. This is the second season of our lemonade stand, which was inspired by the book The Lemonade Ripple, written by Paul Reichert. The book tells the story of a little girl who is inspired to help a friend in need by raising money through a lemonade stand. This action inspires others to make a difference. At our lemonade stand, local kids are invited to “Spread the Ripple Effect, one glass at a time” by selling lemonade at the Big M Supermarket on Saturday June 21st & 28th, as well as Thursday, July 3rd from 11 AM – 3 PM. Additionally, the lemonade stand will be making an appearance on June 27th from 4-7 at Build-a-Buddy On the River in downtown Alex Bay—with 10% of all store sales supporting Community Betterment! Garlock’s Ace Hardware will host a pop-up stand on Thursday, July 9th from 11 AM – 3 PM. Our amazing little helpers will be selling lemonade at all events throughout Community Betterment Weekend as well! This is a great opportunity to support a new business in our community and Betterment at the same time. This year there is additional exciting news connected to the lemonade stand. The Northern New York Community Foundation has joined as a matching sponsor, which means they will match every dollar donated through lemonade sales up to $2,500. It’s amazing the positive impact that a glass of lemonade can have, so make sure you get a glass or two while you can.
Another great way to have fun and support our community is through entering to win one or more of our “Raffles for Betterment.” This year we have many prizes to entice you to take a chance and help the community. You could win an amazing crystal-clear kayak, a week-long vacation, a Solo Stove and much more. Betterment is specifically offering ONE crystal clear Kayak Raffle, FIVE enticing 100-spot square board options as well as FIVE themed baskets to take a chance on. Winners of these prizes will be drawn and announced at the Recipient Ceremony on July 12th (in conjunction with our Paddle for Betterment), but you do not need to be present to win. Anyone interested in purchasing tickets can do so in person by visiting our Sales Booth at the Alex Bay Big M lobby: Friday & Saturday June 21st and 28th as well as on Thursday, July 3rd from 10 AM – 4 PM. Prizes will be on display and volunteers will be there to assist with ordering. Raffles will be available throughout Community Betterment Weekend as well, with a sales booth in the Golf course cart barn, at our Welcome Party at Bonnie Castle Resort and at the Pavilion at our Paddle for Betterment. Tickets can also be purchased anytime, anywhere online here!  Our Crystal Clear Kayak is one of the many prizes you can win when you take a chance with Betterment raffles. The ripple effect is alive and well in the 1000 Islands. Our volunteers are dedicated to giving back to support our community, and you can support this great cause through the purchase of raffle tickets and lemonade. We also welcome you to participate in Community Betterment Weekend July 11th & 12th by playing golf, tennis or paddling on the beautiful St. Lawrence River! Complete information can be found here!
Hope to see you there! Welcome back to The Ripple Report, a weekly update on events related to The Foundation for Community Betterment. One of the main goals of Betterment is to create a ripple of kindness and support in the community. The dictionary defines the term “ripple effect” as a situation in which one event produces effects that spread and produce further effects. The ripple effect becomes unmistakably clear each year in our community during the inspiring events of Community Betterment Weekend. During this weekend, people come together to raise funds, share in the joy of community, and unite around the shared purpose of making a positive impact. It is hoped that these actions will create ripples of kindness that will continue to grow, encourage others and make our community a better place for all. Last week’s article focused on introducing some of the volunteers who are new to Betterment. This week is all about the events taking place on Community Betterment Weekend. These events are integral to the fundraising that creates such amazing local impact. This year’s activities will take place on Friday, July 11th and Saturday, July 12th. Anyone who is interested in registering to participate in one or more of the events can register online or download a form on the website to complete and mail in.
 L to R - Judy Compo, Mike Wellentuk, Carolyn McLennan and Alexandra Winchenbaugh kick off the weekend at the Betterment Welcome Party. The event that has been the cornerstone of the weekend is the Paddle for Betterment, which was established in 2001. This year’s paddle (the 24th) will take place on Saturday, July 12th. People of all ages are welcome to board a kayak, canoe, skiff or stand-up paddleboard as they literally and figuratively make a ripple effect on the mighty St. Lawrence River. The paddle begins at 9:00 am at the Alexandria Bay Village Beach, with check-in beginning at 8:00. Participants who pre-register before June 20th will receive a free t-shirt. Pre-registration costs for the paddle are $45 for adults and $20 for youths. Registration on the day of the event will be $50 for adults and $25 for youths. (Kayaks can be rented locally. Please visit the Community Betterment website mentioned above for more information.)  Paddlers begin their journey on a sunny summer day, while the fire boat keeps everyone safe. The final event of the weekend is the Recipient’s Ceremony, which is held at the Scenic View Pavilion on Saturday the 12th from 11:00am – 12:00pm. This is where everyone involved comes together to meet, honor and acknowledge this year’s recipients of our community’s generosity. It is at this ceremony that the ripple effect is most evident. There is a direct community impact, and this benevolence often inspires recipients to pay that kindness forward. It is an understatement to say that this weekend is special and memorable.
We encourage you to become a part of Community Betterment Weekend! Each week during the summer, The Foundation for Community Betterment will submit an article to the TI Sun telling the community what’s happening with Betterment. We will highlight our exciting event schedule, our wonderful volunteers, special recipient stories and other important details about the many good things that are happening in the Betterment community. This year we celebrate the Silver Anniversary of The Foundation for Community Betterment. Twenty-five years ago, the children of Patrick & Carolyn (Garlock) Curley founded Betterment, an organization dedicated to providing support for both individuals and civic organizations. The mission was to create a “ripple effect” through giving; the goodness and generosity that is passed on to benefit individuals and communities where chapters would be established around the country. Being so well loved locally, Carolyn & Pat Curley had no problem gathering many friends and family members to join them in creating a new Alexandria Bay Chapter of Betterment. What began as a single event kayak paddle on the St. Lawrence River 24 years ago, has now become a full weekend of events, now including tennis and golf tournaments. Funds are raised through the registration of these events and very generous donors who support this mission in many ways. In this initial edition of The Ripple Report, we honor and thank Jeanne Snow, who has served on the board of the Alex Bay Chapter of Betterment since its inception. With a wonderful and generous heart, Jeanne has been the writer of most articles and press releases for Betterment through these many years. We are so grateful for her creativity and dedication to Betterment. Jeanne will now be passing the writer’s pen on to Trina (Babcock) Keefe. Trina may be new to the Betterment board, but not to this community. Trina was born and raised in Alexandria Bay, the daughter of Faye & Carol Babcock, and after enjoying 26 years in education in Elmira, NY, Trina and her husband Dave Keefe have recently moved back. We are thrilled that both Trina &Dave will now be serving on the local Betterment board.
It really is the volunteers who make any non-profit organization successful, and Betterment will be highlighting some of ours in the coming weeks. A new dynamic duo has taken over the time intense raffle part of our program, Michele (Walts) Carr and Lisa Tillman. Michele worked closely with Karen Peters last year before her retirement from Betterment, and she brings continued energy to the position. Michele Walts Carr is also an ACS graduate who returned to the River with her husband and daughter after enjoying an exciting career as a speech pathologist for over 25 years. Joining Michele is Lisa Tillman, another North Country native who was involved in education in various positions at Alexandria Central School for over 25 years. Michele and Lisa’s organizational skills and love of people make them ideal community members to join the Betterment board. Their specific focus this year will be on both the lemonade stand and raffle basket program that will be held at the Alex Bay Big M on Fridays and Saturdays between now and Betterment weekend July 11 & 12.
Betterment welcomes these new volunteers and appreciates their efforts in making this community strong, kind and supportive of our neighbors. If you, and/or a child you know would like to volunteer a few hours of your time, please contact Michele @ (267)- 994-7429.  Pictured here L to R: Members of the Alex Bay chapter of the Foundation of Community Betterment Board. Lisa Tillman (new), Trina Keefe (new), Jeanne Snow, and Michele Carr. This summer, the Betterment golf and tennis tourneys will both be held on Friday
July 11th in Alexandria Bay, and the kayak paddle event will be on Saturday July 12. Check out all the news and register at CommunityBetterment.org/AlexandriaBay |
