On January 3, Samantha Awand-Gortel, manager of the Phoenicia branch of Ulster Savings Bank, presented board members of Flying Cat Music with a check for $1000 from the Ulster Savings Charitable Foundation (USCF). The popular concert series, which has brought American roots musicians to perform in Phoenicia since 2009, will use the money to pay performing artists and support publicity efforts.
Holly George-Warren, who serves on the boards of both Flying Cat and the Phoenicia Library, said, “As a member of the community and a trustee of the library, I appreciate that Ulster Savings Bank has been so supportive of the community and the arts at a time when funding is sorely needed. They have really stepped up to the plate.”
In 2022, the USCF awarded $207,400 to local organizations, including the Phoenicia Library and the Ashokan Center. The main areas of focus for the grants are health and human services, housing, and education, which includes the arts. “It’s a nice way for us to reciprocate and help people,” said Awand-Gortel. “It’s not always easy for groups to find funding. Our community is generous when it comes to fundraising, but it’s not easy.”
Most applicants for the grants are from Ulster County, and the bank likes to sponsor existing customers, but it’s not necessary to have a banking relationship established. “The application is simple,” Awand-Gortel said. “There are not a lot of hoops to jump through.”
However, Flying Cat founders Janet Klugiewicz and Tom Rinaldo put considerable effort into writing their application, describing how the community benefits from their concerts. As Awand-Gortel pointed out, “They bring in new artists and audience members, who will shop in town and eat at restaurants. These shows are not rinky-dink. I’ve heard nothing but amazing feedback from people who attend. And it gives people something to do in the warmer months.”
Although there’s plenty of live music to hear in the Catskills, it doesn’t often reach Phoenicia. Flying Cat draws musicians of high repute from many parts of the country, Canada, and even Europe. Originally held at the Empire State Railway Museum, the former Phoenicia train station, the shows moved in 2019 to the Phoenicia United Methodist Church, where wooden pews and high ceilings create a pleasing ambiance for performers and audience alike.
For more information about Flying Cat Music, visit https://flyingcatmusic.org. The Ulster Savings Charitable Foundation offers four application periods each year. To learn more about the granting process, see https://www.ulstersavings.com/community/charitable-foundation/.
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