Fort Hamilton Presbyterian Church donation benefits local library

Although the Fort Hamilton Presbyterian Church closed its doorsin December, 2010, its members still maintain their spirit ofcommunity giving.

The church recently donated $10,000 out of its memorial fund to theFort Hamilton library at Fourth Avenue and 95th Street – acontribution which funded the purchase of 500 items for thelibrary’s children’s section, including videos and tapes. In honorof the parishioners’ generosity, the library held a reception onAugust 4 to express the impact the small congregation made on aneighborhood literary institution.

It really underscores for me…that you represent the best in thecommunity, said Councilman Vincent Gentile as he commended thechurch members. He added that the city money used for libraryrenovations is not what makes the biggest difference – the realimpact comes from within the community.

What makes a library is what people contribute to it, Gentilesaid. That’s what makes it special; that’s what makes itgreat.

The church also used the memorial fund money to donate to 39 otherneighborhood organizations, including the Guild for ExceptionalChildren, the Bay Ridge Scholarship Fund, the Norwegian ChristianHome, the Pantry of Shore Hill, the St. Nicholas Home, CalvaryHospice and Augustana Lutheran Home, among others, according toDilia Schack, the church’s treasurer.

[The money] came from the community for us to use for thecommunity, and we gave it back to the community, Schack said.