WATERTOWN, N.Y. (WWTI) — A local memorial fund is continuing to honor its legacy of giving back to organizations that serve the North Country community.

The William P. Plante Memorial Fund recently donated $1,000 to the Thousand Islands Rescue Services.

“Every year we donate money to worthy organizations in the North Country that go out of their way to help people and we can’t think of a better group than the Thousand Islands Emergency Rescue Service in Clayton,” shared Memorial Fund Board Member Michael Colello. “A lot of those people are down there spending a lot of time providing a service that is so needed in the North Country and they do a great job.”

According to Thousand Islands Rescue Service, this donation will aide the facilities efforts to provide “high-quality appropriate cost-efficient care for the river community residents.”

TIERS added, “with humility TIERS accepts a donation from the William P. Plante Memorial fund for outstanding community service. The WPPMF honors those who are making a different in the community much like Mr. Plante himself.”

This fund was created back in 2017 through the Northern New York Community Foundation in Watertown to honor the life and legacy of William Plante who passed away in 2016 after battling cancer.

The fund also provides and annual scholarship for area students and hosts an annual boat cruise fundraiser called “Rock It for Bill,” which helps support the organization.

William “Bill” Plante was known in the North Country as a community figure. He served on numerous school and community boards including Immaculate Heart Central School and the Thompson Park Conservancy.

The 2021 Annual Rock it For Bill Fundraiser will be held on Saturday, July 17, and take off from Alexandria Bay, New York.

Tickets are limited but remain available for purchase on the William P. Plante Memorial Fund website.