Funding to support adaptive recreation in Central New York
WATERFORD, NY – Erie Canalway National Heritage Corridor has received a $9,493 grant from the Small Grants and Initiatives Fund at the Central New York Community Foundation. The grant will be used to support adaptive recreation along the Erie Canalway Trail and participation in the Canalway Challenge by people of all abilities.
The Canalway Challenge invites people to trace history while tracking miles walking, running, cycling, or paddling on the NYS Canal System and Canalway Trail. The free program includes a range of mileage options so that people at all fitness levels can participate.
“Support from the Central New York Community Foundation will help to further our efforts to ensure that recreational experiences along the canal are welcoming, sought after, and accessible to people of all abilities,” Executive Director of the Erie Canalway National Heritage Corridor Bob Radliff said. “With spring just around the corner, this is the perfect time to get up, get out, and get active—no matter what level of fitness you are starting from.”
People can sign up for the Canalway Challenge at any time at www.canalwaychallenge.org. Participants set a personal mileage goal and receive recognition and rewards when they complete it.
People with mobility challenges are also welcome to participate using a series of Peloton-style adaptive cycling videos filmed on the Erie Canalway Trail and Onondaga Creekwalk in Onondaga County, developed in partnership with The Fitness Inclusion Network at SUNY Upstate’s Golisano Center for Special Needs.
For more information, visit: www.canalwaychallenge.org.
The grant was provided through the Community Foundation’s Community Grant program, which funds innovative projects in Onondaga and Madison counties that focus on the areas of arts and culture, civic affairs, education, health, human services and the environment.
ABOUT THE ERIE CANALWAY NATIONAL HERITAGE CORRIDOR
The Erie Canalway National Heritage Corridor preserves New York’s extraordinary canal heritage, promotes the Corridor as a world-class tourism destination, and fosters vibrant communities connected by more than 500 miles of waterway. It achieves its mission in partnership with the National Park Service, New York State agencies, non-profit organizations, local residents, and more than 200 communities across the full expanse of upstate New York.
ABOUT THE CENTRAL NEW YORK COMMUNITY FOUNDATION
The Central New York Community Foundation is a public charity established in 1927 that receives contributions from donors, manages them to grow over time and then distributes funding to local charities to help them thrive. It is the largest charitable foundation in Central New York with assets of more than $366 million and has invested more than $230 million in community improvement projects since its inception. As a grantmaker, civic leader, convener and sponsor of strategic initiatives, the Community Foundation strives to strengthen local nonprofits, encourage better understanding of the region and address the most critical issues of our time. cnycf.org
