For Immediate Release – Montgomery, NY – The Kathy McMichael Memorial Foundation was recently established within the Community Foundation of Orange and Sullivan as a component Fund by her friends and colleagues.  The Kathy McMichael Memorial Foundation will serve as a tribute to Kathy who passed away in May 2009 after a courageous battle with breast cancer.

Kathy was a devoted mother, a teacher at Sullivan County BOCES, and friend to many.  She remained strong, brave and positive throughout her illness and was an inspiration to those around her.  She cared dearly for her family, friends and the students whose lives she touched.  During Kathy’s illness she was able to access funds from an organization in Orange County that helped her pay medical bills and other expenses incurred by her illness.  This money, along with all of the donations and support from her BOCES family and the Roscoe community, helped Kathy through the stress and worries she faced daily.  Kathy was happy there were people and organizations willing to help her and her family in their time of need.  Although Kathy became weaker and her struggle with her disease became more obvious, her smile and passion for life never wavered.  She never complained or gave up, and it was Kathy McMichael’s perseverance that inspired her colleagues to create a memorial fund in her honor.

Through The Kathy McMichael Memorial Foundation, grants will be recommended, and facilitated through the United Way of Sullivan County, to families dealing with a catastrophic illness.

The Community Foundation administers 94 charitable funds and handles all of the fiscal reporting and administration for each charitable fund under its umbrella, thereby keeping administration costs much lower than a private foundation, and allowing more dollars to flow toward charitable grants and projects.

On Sunday, September 26, 2010 at noon, The Kathy McMichael Memorial Golf Tournament will be held at the Villa Roma Golf & Country Club in Callicoon, NY to celebrate and honor Kathy, and to raise dollars for the The Kathy McMichael Memorial Foundation and the grants it will support.  For more information about the golf tournament, please call Jeff Molusky at 570-224-5027 to join in the fun and/or to support this worthy cause with a sponsorship.

General contributions to The Kathy McMichael Memorial Foundation are welcome at any time.   Donations can be made payable to CFOS – The Kathy McMichael Memorial Foundation and sent to the Community Foundation of Orange and Sullivan, 30 Scott’s Corners Drive, Suite 202, Montgomery, NY 12549.   Donations may also be made on-line at www.cfoc-ny.org.   The Community Foundation of Orange and Sullivan is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization.  All gifts are tax deductible under current tax laws.