Submitted by Susan Daniels
(January 12, 2023) — The Community Foundation of Middlesex County (CFMC) wrapped up its 25th anniversary celebration in December of 2022 with a surprise $25,000 grant to Pathfinders, Inc. for its Deer Lake Project. The award was given in recognition and support of the nonprofit’s hard work, persistence, and strong passion for making a difference by fostering outdoor education and recreation for all at its recently purchased property, Deer Lake, a 255-acre woodland and bird sanctuary in Killingworth.
The grant was made possible by the generosity of the Mary Janvrin and Natalie Janvrin Wiggins Fund for Birds, Other Animals and Nature at CFMC. Mary Janvrin and Natalie Janvrin Wiggins shared a life-long love for all nature, particularly birds. They established the Fund to preserve, protect, and steward land, waterways, and wildlife habitats for the county’s ecosystem and enjoyment of all area residents.
The Pathfinders organization and its “Save Deer Lake” Initiative are true examples of the conservation efforts Mary Janvrin and Natalie Janvrin Wiggins intended to ensure through their Fund at the Community Foundation. With that in mind, the CFMC Board of Directors and Janvrin Fund Committee felt that a surprise grant was a meaningful and long-lasting way not only to honor the sisters’ wishes, but also to celebrate Pathfinders’ efforts and CFMC’s 25th Anniversary.
“We are so grateful to the Janvrin Fund and the Community Foundation of Middlesex County for their generous gift,” said Pathfinders, Inc. Board of Directors Member Cathy Iino. “This support is especially valuable because it allows Pathfinders to build its capacity to communicate with the public, to maintain the Deer Lake property, and to develop a durable organization.”
“The Community Foundation is pleased to work in tandem with Pathfinders to support its mission,” said CFMC President and CEO Cynthia Clegg. “The life passions of Mary Janvrin and Natalie Janvrin Wiggins are supported now and forever through their Fund at CFMC. The impact their generosity has on Pathfinders is just one instance of their profound legacy. We are all grateful for their generous ‘forever gift’ to the community.”
