Nearly $33,000 awarded to athletes and organizations in the Olympic region

Three competitors at this year’s Winter Olympics received a boost from the Uihlein-Ironman Sports Fund at Adirondack Foundation.

The Uihlein-Ironman Sports Fund (UISF) was established by the Henry Uihlein II and Mildred A. Uihlein Foundation, Ironman North America — now known as World Triathlon Corporation — and Adirondack Foundation. These local organizations have teamed up to help athletes from Lake Placid and the Olympic region achieve their sports dreams, and to help nonprofit organizations that foster and promote life-long sports and healthy lifestyles for local kids. The fund awarded nearly $33,000 in grants and scholarships this year.

The three Olympians in Beijing who received UISF support are Sean Hollander, luge, Max Durtschi, biathlon, and Hunter Church, bobsled; Chris Mazdzer of USA Luge is a past recipient.

“It’s an honor to provide financial assistance to Sean, Max and Hunter. We hope they each have an amazing experience in Beijing and know that their home-towns are rooting for them,” said Adirondack Foundation’s Martha Bullock, a member of the USIF committee. “Helping athletes in our region realize their dreams on the world’s stage is what the Uihlein-Ironman Sports Fund is all about. It takes hard work, dedication and sacrifice to make it to the Olympics, and our goal is to help make sure that money doesn’t become an obstacle to compete.”

Eight other local athletes received support this year as they aspire to compete at future Olympics:

• Kai Frantz, Nordic Skiing

• Tate Frantz, Ski Jumping & Nordic Combined

• Sophia Kelting, Nordic Skiing

• Kaylen Reiley, Freestyle Skiing

• Andrew Scanio, Nordic Skiing

• Karl Schulz, Nordic Skiing

• Sydney-Yu Terpening, Speed Skating

• Bella Wissler, Biathlon & Nordic Skiing

UISF is also committed to supporting the local, grassroots youth sports development and training programs that aim to lift up athletes and get them to the next level of competition. The fund also targets programs that offer youth the opportunity to participate in new sports they may not otherwise be able to experience.

This year, seven organizations received UISF grants:

• Adirondack Health’s Learn to Swim and Respect the Water program

• Lake Placid Outing Club

• New York Ski Educational Foundation

• Olympic Regional Development Authority Jump Aim Glide Slide (JAGS) program

• Saranac Lake Pee Wee Hockey Association

• Saranac Lake Youth Baseball and Softball Association

• Tupper Lake Youth Nordic Ski Development Club

To make a gift in honor of this year’s Olympians and to support future grants, visit adirondackfoundation.org/give-back and select the Uihlein-Ironman Sports Fund.

To learn more about UISF, contact Andrea Grout at (518) 523-9904 or andrea@adkfoundation.org. To learn more about Adirondack Foundation, visit adirondackfoundation.org.

Photo of Luge World Cup courtesy of ORDA/Almanack file photo.