Community organizations in the Clifton-Fine area have been awarded $75,000 in grants from the Damoth Fund at Adirondack Foundation.

The Damoth Fund was established in 2012 with a bequest from Robert Damoth, who had a strong attachment to the Cranberry Lake region. Every year, a portion of Damoth’s bequest is awarded to community organizations with the support of the Clifton-Fine Economic Development Corporation. Additionally, the fund annually awards $15,000 to each of these organizations: Clifton-Fine Central School, Clifton Community Library, Cranberry Lake Fire & Rescue, and Clifton-Fine Hospital.

“Mr. Damoth’s generosity continues to inspire us,”  executive director of Adirondack Foundation Cali Brooks said in a statement to the press. “His bequest has created a perpetual legacy for the communities of Cranberry Lake. His gift has already made a big impact on this area, and it will continue to do so for decades to come.”

Last year, the Cranberry Lake Fire Department used its grant to fund the purchase of a new snowmobile for backcountry rescue. The library’s grant helped fund new programs, additions to the library’s holdings, and expanded hours of operation. The hospital used its grant to increase awareness and outreach to the community, and the school’s funding was used for three $5,000 scholarships.

The CFEDC’s Smart Growth Committee fielded grant applications totaling more than $42,000 this year, up from about $30,000 in 2013.

This year’s grant recipients include:

• Clifton-Fine Figure Skaters, to purchase skates to make sure any child can participate in its programming
• A project to stock a local food pantry with fresh produce from St. Lawrence County farms
• Clifton-Fine Economic Development Corporation, which will produce, print and distribute a guide to local giving and volunteering
• Cranberry Lake Boat Club, to create signage to promote local amenities
• Woodland Cemetery Association, for a secure storage building for tools, to remove hazardous trees and to remove brush and overgrowth around grave sites
• Save Our Schoolhouse, to purchase a furnace so the Star Lake building can host exhibits, workshops and meetings year-round
• Fine Hamlets Parks and Recreation, for upgrades to playground equipment in Fine

To learn more about the power community philanthropy, or to make a gift to one of Adirondack Foundation’s more than 220 funds, please visit www.generousact.org or call (518) 523-9904.