News from the Buffalo Renaissance Foundation Winter 2021-2022

Letter from the President

As I write to you, although stuck in the doldrums of a Buffalo winter, I reflect on the bright sunshine of the accomplishments of the Buffalo Renaissance Foundation in 2021.

We experienced record fundraising and increased our 2021 appropriations to a record level. Our endowment has grown to a new high, which provides us the opportunity to make an increasing impact in the community based on giving. This success is directly attributed to the active participation of all of our directors and the generosity of the WNY community.

In 2021 we marked 40 years as a charitable foundation. We celebrated 40 years of growth and accomplishments with an eye towards the next 40 years. This year we expect an increased level of fundraising and an increased level of charitable giving to Western New York charities and causes.

This outlook is bolstered by the active contributions of our existing directors as well as the addition of our newest director, Tom McManus. I look forward to Tom’s involvement in our mission.

The City of Buffalo and our surrounding communities have experienced a significant renaissance over the past 40 years. The sun shines brightly on our future. The Buffalo Renaissance Foundation stands poised to continue our good work shaping that positive future and, as always, moving Buffalo forward.

MICHAEL P. MODRZYNSKI

President
Buffalo Renaissance Foundation, Inc.

Golf Classic Moves to Spring at Brookfield CC

The annual Golf Classic was held in May at Brookfield Country Club in Clarence, pivoting from our usual fall date as a strategic decision so the annual Luncheon could be held in September without restriction. The Classic is the second oldest charitable tournament running in Western New York, the inaugural event being held in 1982 at Crag Burn. Event chair Dr. Gilbert chaperoned a record day of comradery at one of Western New York’s finest golf venues, raising over $100,000 in revenue for the second year in a row.

Kudos to our event sponsors:

Title Sponsor – Allied Mechanical
Cart Sponsor – Harmac Medical Products
Flag Sponsors – Hoffman Hanifan, Dunn Tire, and D.V. Brown and Associates
Putting Contest Sponsor – Uniland Development
Straightest Drive – Arc Builders
Longest Drive – Premier Group
Closest to the Pin Sponsors– Key Private Bank, The Tzetzo Companies

BRF Outreach Program

We postponed our Annual Easter Egg Hunt this year and shifted gears to recognize how difficult life has been on the elder population in WNY during the last few years of COVID. We delivered Easter Baskets to the residents of Fredonia Place of Williamsville in April.

In July, BRF directors continued their annual visit to The Miracle League of WNY for a night at Miracle Field on Grand Island. Our directors and their families volunteer to participate in baseball with individuals with adaptive needs. The specialized rubber field surface can accommodate wheelchairs, crutches, and walkers.

We continued our December Holiday Outreach event and hosted students from the West Buffalo Charter School at the Buffalo Renaissance Foundation Community Center. Students were presented with the special edition Buffalo Monopoly game, which was developed as a fundraiser for Roswell Park Cancer Institute and the Oishei Children’s Hospital.

Appropriations Doles Out 2021 Grants at Buffalo Renaissance Community Center

Our Appropriations Committee awarded grants to the Buffalo Collegiate Charter School, Friends of Little Portion Friary, Kevin Guest House, Lancaster Baseball Booster Club, Our Lady of Victory National Shrine & Basilica Centennial, The Nativity Miguel Middle School of Buffalo, and The Buffalo Renaissance Foundation Community Center.

Veterans and Military Committee Active in 2021

Our annual Veterans Luncheon, an event that continues to grow and support our local Veteran community, returned in October after a one-year hiatus due to the pandemic. Our Committee remained active, making local donations in 2021 to the Buffalo & Erie County Naval & Military Park Shawn’s Heroes for Life, the Marshall Legacy Institute, and the Virginia War Memorial Foundation. It also provided another WNY Gold Star luncheon for those whose loved ones died in service to our nation.

The annual luncheon was again held at The Buffalo Club in October and honored our late sustaining member and past president, Gary Stott. We awarded our first annual Gary M. Stott Scholarship to Joshua Kitchens. The Stott family was in attendance to present the scholarship to Mr. Kitchens.

We were honored to have Major General Robert M. “Bo” Dyess as this year’s keynote speaker.

UB Athletics Scholarship

This 2021 recipient of the UB Athletics scholarship award, a scholarship that was endowed from proceeds from the BRF’s first luncheon in 1991 is soccer star Marcy Barberic. The team’s leading scorer recently signed a professional contract to play in Iceland.

The 2022 UB Athletics scholarship awardee is Pia Schwarz. A Biological Science major, the senior from Germany is a member of the Women’s Tennis Team. She’s been the MAC Singles Player of the Week and plays at the No. 1 singles.

Luncheon Honoring Roswell’s Candace Johnson Moved to September, Over 500 Attend

The BRF honored Roswell Park Cancer Institute’s CEO Dr. Candace Johnson with our Renaissance Award. She gave an impassioned speech about what it means to be a Buffalonian and accepted the award with grace. Scott Bieler, CEO of West Herr Automotive Group, provided the keynote address and confirmed the tremendous impact Dr. Johnson has had on the Western New York community.

The Luncheon served for the premier of the Buffalo Renaissance 40th anniversary video “Moving Forward,” commissioned with our appropriation dollars.

Sculptural Art Initiative

Our Spirit of Buffalo Sculptural Art series is in the process of finalizing its fifth and final sculpture with a piece scheduled for the grounds of the Buffalo & Erie County Public Library being completed in concert with our partner, Just Buffalo Literary, for 2022. The final piece, named the Spirit of Inspiration, will be the work of Okunola Jeyfous, a Nigerian-American neuroscientist and photography enthusiast based in Chicago.

As well as finishing our fifth sculpture, the BRF completed a new joint effort in partnership with the Junior League of Buffalo on a new sculptural initiative installed on the Burchfield Penney Art Center Grounds. The initiative demonstrates to women and girls in our community that they have the capacity to achieve.

The statues embody the essence of female power, capturing the long history of women’s impact in Western New York. The installation allows visitors and community members to experience the significance of the artwork and its message. As the “Fearless Girl” sculpture in New York City has demonstrated, this statue promises opportunities for discourse around the contributions of women in our community. The BRF is proud to be a major contributor to this endeavor.

Our Philosophy

Not many not-for-profit agencies can say that every dollar raised in our fund-raising events goes 100% to charity or is put into our endowment for future charitable giving. Our director dues fund 100% of our administrative costs and director expenses, so every dollar raised ends up in the hands of charities or organizations that meet our mission.

Thank you for your support in the past and into the future, hopefully you will find our work inspirational, interesting, and fun, as well as something you will continue to be a part of. Together, we can continue to move Buffalo, forward.

BRF on Facebook

The BRF has a Facebook page to stay in touch with our benefactors, corporate sponsors, and friends. Please “like” us on Facebook at our Foundation page.

Help us Move Buffalo Forward

If you are interested in making a donation to the Buffalo Renaissance Foundation please visit our website and click the donate button.

BRF Foundation
2022 Board of Directors

Michael P. Modrzynski
Foundation President

A.J. Baynes, Jr.
David B. Beaton
Donald V. Boswell
Donald V. Brown, Jr.
Frank L. Ciminelli II
John K.S. Cleary
William S. Cleary
Michael B. Dolan, CPA
Timothy J. Domino
Matthew K. Enstice
Richard N. Gilbert, MD
Shawn C. Glogowski
Scott T. Hoffman
Charles F. Hunt
James E. Iglewski
Dharshan Jayasinghe
Charles G. Jones, Jr.
Anthony G. Jordan
Eugene G. Kershner, CPA
Peter S. Marlette, Esq.
Tod D. Martin
Thomas S. McManus
Daniel P. Mecca
Michael J. Montante
Maurice L. Naylon III
Jonathan D. Notarius
Benjamin N. Obletz
Thomas S. Quealy
Michael D. Ross
Hugh M. Russ III, Esq.
C. Jacob Schneider
Zachary P. Schneider
David C. Schutte
John F. Somers
Nicholas B. Tzetzo, Esq.
Paul V. Vukelic
Arthur G. Wingerter
Damon S. Wojciechowski
Daniel J. Zimmer

Executive Director
Scott McManigle

Founded in 1981, the Buffalo Renaissance Foundation (BRF) is a non-profit, 501(c)3 organization dedicated to moving Buffalo forward, to help our future generations realize the best opportunities to enjoy a high quality of life in Western New York.

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