PARISHVILLE — The Parishville-Hopkinton Central School District recently formed a charitable partnership with the Northern New York Community Foundation to help purchase and upgrade musical instruments for students.

The Parishville-Hopkinton Central School Musical Instrument Fund was established at the Community Foundation with a lead matching gift from Dr. G. Michael and Mrs. Barbara Maresca. Dr. Maresca is president of St. Lawrence Radiology Associates. He and his wife are St. Lawrence County residents who share an affinity for local arts and education.

“We consider ourselves very lucky to live in an area that places such importance on music education, and we are happy we are able to help invest in a worthy North Country music program,” Mrs. Maresca said.

Mrs. Maresca noted how her son, Michael, who graduated from Potsdam High School in 2013, “benefited enormously from music programs available from kindergarten through high school.”

For the Marescas, the call to act in such a meaningful and thoughtful way came after Jeremy and Allison Carney, owners of Brick and Mortar Music, Potsdam, alerted them to the need for new instruments in several St. Lawrence County school districts, Dr. Maresca said.

“We decided to begin the effort at Parishville-Hopkinton Central School because it is really lacking in some of the basics for music classes,” Dr. Maresca said. “We hope others will also be inspired to look to neighboring districts, reach out and help.”

Gifts to the fund will provide support for the school district, over the next five years, to upgrade musical instruments for the benefit students at Parishville-Hopkinton Central School. Under a five-year plan, all instruments could be upgraded for roughly $72,000.

The Community Foundation partnership enables the school to raise money it needs to complete the instrument project while offering donors the maximum flexibility and benefit of giving to a charitable fund. All gifts to the fund are tax-deductible to the fullest extent allowed by law and directly support the cause. Charitable gifts to support the fund will enhance the music and arts experience for Parishville-Hopkinton students beginning this fall and into the future.

Parishville-Hopkinton Central School District Superintendent Bill Collins said he and school officials appreciate that the Maresca family has taken a valuable leadership role to improve music education through a worthy investment.

“We are tremendously grateful for the Marescas generosity. Their gift, combined with the support from our other community members, will go a long way to providing our music students with instruments they will use for many years,” Collins said. “This is a wonderful investment in our music program that will have a positive impact on generations of students here at Parishville-Hopkinton Central.”

Donors may make gifts to the Parishville-Hopkinton Central School Musical Instrument Fund at the Northern New York Community Foundation by mail to 131 Washington St., Watertown, NY 13601. Gifts may also be made online at www.nnycf.org/giving/donate-online. Contact the Community Foundation, 315-782-7110, to learn more about giving options and other ways to support this charitable fund.