|
Modrzynski Named Incoming President As I assume leadership of the Buffalo Renaissance Foundation, I am humbled by the history of the organization that began in 1981 and the vision of a small group of young business leaders to create a foundation with one goal: to help move our community forward.
Over the last 39 years, that group of leaders has grown to number 40 active directors and 35 sustaining directors. I would like to welcome our new members, Michael Dolan, Tim Domino, Dharshan Jayasinghe, and Charles Hunt. We all look forward to your energy, enthusiasm, and ideas in continuing the work of the Foundation. That work has two primary thrusts. The first is raising funds through our annual luncheon, to be held on April 30, 2020, our annual golf outing in September, and through donations. The second is appropriating those funds to deserving community organizations and activities that are furthering the renaissance of Western New York. It should be noted that our Foundation is unique in that 100% of every dollar raised goes back into our community. I am proud to announce that the Foundation granted over $200,000 within our community over the last two years. The largest grant led to the completion of the sports facilities of Perkins Park and the Buffalo Renaissance Community Center on Buffalo’s East Side. Perkins Park has new basketball courts, a new playground, a youth football field and a platform hockey rink. The Community Center houses a gymnasium, basketball court, swimming pool, meeting rooms and educational spaces. I am honored to have been chosen to lead the Buffalo Renaissance Foundation. I am grateful to Hugh Russ III, our outgoing President, for his leadership and counsel. I am committed, along with my fellow directors, to continue our mission of promoting positive thinking and positive change and to moving our community forward. Very truly yours,
|
|
||||
|
|
|
THE BUFFALO RENAISSANCE FOUNDATION COMMUNITY CENTER LOCATED AT 325 EAST FERRY STREET.
|
|
BRF Participates in Opening Ceremony of Perkins Park Project at the Buffalo Renaissance Foundation Community Center The BRF participated in the May grand opening of Perkins Park at 325 East Ferry Street in Buffalo as the major donor providing the Resource Council of WNY (RCWNY) the final funding necessary for the site. The funding prepared the site for the development to complete the practice youth Heads Up flag football field on the East Side of Buffalo. The site includes an outdoor ball hockey rink with a multi-purpose surface, in addition to the football field. The Buffalo Renaissance Foundation’s donation supplements funding previously provided by the Buffalo Sabres Foundation, the National Hockey League, and the Local Initiative Service Corp. BRF Appropriations Chair Eugene G. Kershner said that the Buffalo Renaissance Foundation had been looking for a project of this nature for the past several years. “We are so happy that we were able to put the icing on the cake that prior donors had provided the foundation for the Park. It will provide the youth on the East Side a venue to play sports and be active for many years to come. As a Foundation, we continue to strive to move Buffalo forward, and this signature project is a prime example of that.” The project was overseen by RCWNY, who also manages the community center on East Ferry Street and will manage the operations at Perkins Park. “The versatility and approach that the Renaissance Foundation took in completing the development will benefit this community for a long time. We had kids playing on the field as soon we opened it this past spring, thanks to the Buffalo Renaissance Foundation,” said RCWNY Director Rich Jureller. The community center has been renamed the Buffalo Renaissance Foundation Community Center in support of the donation made to complete the project. Programs at the BRF Community Center offered in part through the Resource Council WNY include afterschool physical and academic programming, veteran and senior programming, instructional camps and clinics, rentals of all facilities, summer programs, and sports leagues.
|
||||
|
|||||||||
|
In May, the BRF honored businessman and Albright-Knox benefactor Jeffrey E. Gundlach with our Man of the Year award. In 2016, Gundlach agreed to donate $42.5 million to the Abright-Knox Art Gallery as part of its capital campaign and expansion project. The gift represents the city’s largest cultural gift from an individual. The gallery will be renamed the Buffalo Albright-Knox-Gundlach Art Museum. Dr. Janne Sirén, Executive Director of the Albright-Knox, provided the keynote address showing the sold-out audience in the Mary Seaton Room at Kleinhans the exciting new expansion plans at the art gallery.
|
|||||||||
|
|||||||||
