Community Impact
Making a Difference in the Lives that Follow
Jay and Elizabeth Tyrrell were humble people. Very few people knew they were wealthy. There was certainly nothing flamboyant about their lifestyles. Jay could often be found in his garden wearing dungarees with holes in them. But here's the catch. They donated a large portion of their wealth to twelve charitable organizations that serve the Connecticut and Maine communities in which they lived including the Main Street Community Foundation.
Time to Give Back
The Clement Family Fund
To understand why the Clement Family Fund was established, you have to know a little about Tony and Sondra Clement. They have spent over 70 years in Bristol and they are both lifelong members and supporters of Asbury Methodist Church in Forestville. Their ties to the community are very strong.
Camp opportunities is an example of a grant
supported through the immediate
response funds.
Small Grants Make Large Impact– Taking Care of Immediate Needs
Since 2000, over $40,000 in Immediate Response Fund grants have helped individuals and families support an immediate need that in many cases has been life changing. Due to the economic landscape in recent years, a greater number of requests are being considered each month. To date, six funds have been established by donors or donor groups who chose to make a difference in the lives of others.
Honoring His Wife’s Generous Spirit
Jim Frawley may be 95 but you’d never know it. He’s upbeat and his mind is as responsive as anyone half his age. What’s as remarkable is that he was married for 72 years to the same woman. His long-term relationship with his wife, Eleanor, is something in which he takes pride since quickly changing wives, workplaces and everything else has become the norm.
Technology for Teens Program
Since 2005, the Technology for Teens program has awarded laptop computers to students from Bristol who are current members in good standing of the Bristol Boys & Girls Club and are accepted or planning to attend an accredited college or university. This initiative was started through the generosity of Bob Fiondella of Bristol and provides computers to students who are unable to purchase this much needed academic resource on their own. The program is administered by the Main Street Community Foundation and applications are available annually from the foundation or at the Bristol Boys & Girls Club.
“Main Street” circa 1962
Photo courtesy of the
Bristol History Room
at the Bristol Public Library
A Family Tradition of Giving
The Formagioni - Lodovico Family Fund
Feeling a deep sense of family connection, roots, loyalty, and commitment to Bristol, Tony and Judie Lodovico, life long residents, believe in the city that has been their home and community for more than 65 years. To carry on the tradition of giving — time, energy, and financial commitment to the city of Bristol, they chose to establish a fund to honor their parents, family members and extended family. The Formagioni - Lodovico Family Fund is an unrestricted fund, established in late 2009 and honors the memory of Mike and Kate Formagioni, Carl and Laura Formagioni, and Carmen “Nucci” and Jennie Lodovico.
Students Benefit from Bequest of St. Joseph School Alum
Mark Keating was a quiet, reserved man. He lived in Bristol most of his life. He was a lifelong parishioner of St. Joseph Church and frequently walked to mass. He was also a St. Joseph School alumnus.
Creativity Lives On…
Sid Bernard truly loved sharing the joy and thrill of every art project that he and “his” kids created together in the classroom each and every day. A devoted art teacher in the Bristol Public School System for 25 years and for nearly as many summers at Choate-Rosemary Hall in Wallingford, CT, Sid’s love for teaching was evident. Sid believed in the power of learning as is evidenced by his own educational accomplishments. He received his BFA from Alfred University and his MFA from California’s Claremont College. When his illness forced him to leave the classroom, Sid continued to keep in contact with the teachers and students in the several elementary schools at which he taught, especially at South Side School.
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Connecticut 06011-2702
