The Community Foundation for the Alleghenies (CFA) held a press conference to announce more than $180,000 in grants being approved through its Spring 2023 Grant Round. The press conference was held on Tuesday, May 16, at the Rockwood Veterans Memorial and Community Park in Rockwood, PA. The Rockwood Veterans Memorial and Community Park was a $5,000 grant recipient.
This grant will help to complete phases 2,3, and 4 (of 4) in the construction of a community veterans park. It is an accessible space that includes a pavilion, green space, and bike racks. The park features engraved bricks honoring both the veterans and community members. To date, more than 500 engraved bricks have been sold and installed at the site. Rockwood celebrated its Christmas Light-Up Night at the park in 2022 and has plans for Memorial Day services this year. The grant funding will be applied to the physical construction of the pavilion. The Borough will own and maintain the park once completed.
Featured speakers at the event were CFA President Mike Kane, and Lladel Lichty, Somerset County Director, as well as Jill Luster, Rockwood Veterans Memorial and Community Park committee member, Nancy Sleasman, Rockwood Borough Council member, and Dan Brant, retired navy veteran, Rockwood American Legion.
“The grants awarded from the Community Foundation for the Alleghenies have helped our project gain momentum and inspire more people to become involved. With their support, the Rockwood Veterans Memorial and Community Park will honor those who have bravely served their country while recognizing members of the community who have built a strong foundation of hard work, dedication, and moral values that have made Rockwood a wonderful community to live in. We look forward to welcoming visitors from the Great Allegheny Passage into the park to rest, relax, and learn about the history and residents of our town,” said Jill Luster, committee member of Rockwood Veterans Memorial and Community Park. “Without the assistance of the CFA, our dream may have never gotten the attention needed to make it a reality. We are most grateful.”
The $181,916 in grants includes $63,500 for Cambria County projects; $68,366 for Somerset County projects; $17,250 for Bedford County projects; and $32,800 for multi-county projects. A complete breakdown of the grants is attached. “From providing funds for first responders, supporting theatre groups and the arts, allowing expansion and improvement of outdoor recreation areas, to providing diapers, food, and nutrition for families, our donors have allowed us to directly impact and improve lives in multiple counties,” said Angie Berzonski, associate director of the CFA.
For more information about how the CFA supports local nonprofit organizations, please visit www.cfalleghenies.org. To see the complete list of Spring 2023 Grants by county, click here.
