To the editor:

When COVID-19 caught fire, life as we knew it went up in flames, but bucket brigades of neighbors sprang into action to help our region turn down the heat. How did they do this?

Through kindness, compassion and generosity.

The Saranac Lake Rotary Foundation has proudly facilitated grants to local businesses and nonprofits funded by the Special and Urgent Needs (SUN) Fund as well as two generous donors from Adirondack Foundation to help ensure vital amenities and services for our community now … and into the future.

The Adirondack Foundation SUN Fund provided a $12,000 grant to WSLP and a $10,000 grant to the Adirondack Daily Enterprise for dedicated COVID-19 reporting.

And thanks to two donor-advised funds at Adirondack Foundation, 99 Saranac Lake businesses received relief funding to help them survive and to demonstrate appreciation for the role they play in our community.

Business owners, many of whom readily step up year after year to sponsor local events from fun runs to Winter Carnival, were hit hard by the mandated New York State on PAUSE. None of them was expecting this kind of assistance, but all of them were deeply moved by the gesture. Many wrote sincere thank-you notes expressing their gratitude to live in a small town where people look after one another.

The Rotary Club of Saranac Lake has been honored and couldn’t be prouder to be the conduit of this kind of heartfelt generosity, and we are thankful for the two extraordinarily giving anonymous donors who made the grants possible. We also honor the spirit, resources and friendship of Adirondack Foundation — and its bucket brigade of caring donors — who have made possible over $2 million in grants to help people and places throughout the Adirondacks since the onset of the pandemic.

With a heart of gratitude and Saranac Lake pride,

Hannah Hanford, president

Rotary Club of Saranac Lake

Saranac Lake