Not too long ago, a young gentleman from Naples, Florida, walked into the Chautauqua Region Community Foundation’s office. He was in town for a family funeral.

 

That day led us to the intriguing story of the Lowell L. Swanson Scholarship Expense Endowment Fund and the man in whose name it was established. The young gentleman from Naples, Florida was James Marchiando, Lowell L. “Link” Swanson’s great nephew.

 

The uniqueness of the fund reflects the  distinctiveness of the man whose memory is held by this fund. The Fund is unique in that it was established not only to assist one or two college-bound students but to assist in the administration of all of the scholarship applications that the Foundation receives. It is available – quietly and behind the scenes – to help administer more than 700 scholarship applications the Foundation obtains each year.

 

Lowell Lincoln “Link” Swanson got his name because he shared his birthday with Abraham Lincoln. He had many of the same traits as his namesake, as well – he shared Abe’s strong interest in education, his belief in hard work, his care for family and community and, of course, his honesty.

 

“Link” grew up and lived in the Jamestown area. He worked at Falconer Die Casting in Lakewood until 1951, when he enlisted in the Navy because of the Korean conflict. While he was in the service, he married Delores Rusnow, a fellow employee at Falconer Die Casting. He returned to his old job and to Delores in 1955. The couple had three children, two girls and a boy.

 

“Link” lost his right hand in an accident at work. Hardworking and dedicated, the loss hardly slowed him down. He only missed three weeks of work at the time! With his prosthesis, he could do anything he could before the accident. He could side a house; he could build a chimney. He thrived on do-it yourself projects. As a support and role model to others with handicaps, he always encouraged them to try to do anything and everything. Like “Link”, the fund, created in his memory, assists the Foundation to provide the best possible support to all our scholarship funds and applicants.

 

The Fund was established by “Link’s” son, Thomas Swanson, in 1993. James Marchiando was only seven years old at the time. Growing up in Jamestown, James attended Jamestown High School and graduated from Jamestown Business College. By a wonderful coincidence, we learned that he was a Community Foundation Scholar in 2002 and 2003. Eventually, he settled in Naples, Florida, where he started a business – The Sunglass Company of Naples, LLC. Today, James is the family representative of his great uncle’s fund.

 

Behind every fund housed at the Foundation, there is a story – a story that demonstrates how the past supports our future. The Community Foundation is timeless. It continues to fulfill the wishes, dreams and ambitions of those who make a contribution to the Foundation. With each donation given, with each grant/scholarship distributed, the legacy of our community grows.

 

For over 30 years, the Community Foundation has helped donors – like the Swanson family – create legacies that keep on giving to our community. If you are interested in ensuring your own legacy for the benefit of future generations, the Chautauqua Region Community Foundation can help. Call us at 661-3390, or go to our website at www.crcfonline.org.