NORWOOD – The Norwood Village Green Concert Series has received an unrestricted donation of $25,000 given by Tom Yaw in Memory of his parents Dr. Perry and Janet Yaw.

This was equal to a similar donation given by Sarah E. Johnson.

Ms. Johnson’s donation was restricted to the establishment of the Series Endowment Fund at the Northern New York Community Foundation.

At that time Ms. Johnson’s $25,000 was matched by NNYCF therefore launching the Series Endowment Fund at $50,000.  

The Norwood Village Green Board of Directors decided at a special meeting held on Tuesday, September 22 to allocate the $25,000 unrestricted donation to the Series in the following manner: The Series will keep $12,000 for operation expenses and deposit $13,000 to its Endowment Fund at the Northern New York Community Foundation. 

The Series is a participant in the “Up to $25,000 3 year match” to enhance present endowments with the Northern NYCF. The Series board’s directive to the Northern New York Community Foundation was to apply the $13,000 so this $13,000 will mean the Series in essence is adding $26,000 to its endowment. 

The Series will still have two years to raise an additional $12,000 to further contribute to this matching program. Soon it will launch a specific fund raising campaign to realize this goal. When the goal is achieved the series endowment will increase to approximately $120,000. 

When the Series board discussed this donation several board members and its technical director remembered Dr. Perry Yaw fondly – Andy Van Duyne was a student of him and Dr. Peter McCoy, a present Crane faculty member sang with him in the Potsdam Community Chorus. Joseph Liotta remembered him for his work in recording thousands of Crane student recitals from his studio overlooking the Recital Hall in the Crane Building recently demolished. Thousands of students benefitted by his work on their behalf.  

In addition to his work as French horn teacher, Dr. Perry Yaw supervised the recording of all Crane Major Ensembles including Crane Chorus and Orchestra with all its world renowned conductors. He was the aural voice of Crane during his long tenure. 

The bottom line is this donation enabled the Series to have $12,000 for operating expenses and enabled the Series to increase its endowment by $26,000 and the Series is grateful to be chosen by Tom Yaw to honor his parents Dr. Perry and Janet Yaw’s legacy through this donation in their Memory.