Northern New York Community Foundation names new board chair

WATERTOWN — Lewis County resident Cheryl R. Steckly was recently named chair of the Northern New York (NNY) Community Foundation board of directors, the nonprofit announced. Steckly retired in 2019 as superintendent of Lowville Academy & Central Schools after more than 35 years working in public education. She was first appointed to the Community Foundation board of directors in 2017 and is now serving in her second five-year term on the board. She lives in Croghan with her husband, Edward F. The NNY Community Foundation also announced that Victoria (Torie) Hasseler Collins, also of Lewis County, was recently appointed to the board. She is a practicing attorney and partner in the Carthage firm Collins, Hasseler & Simser Law. She previously served on the Community Foundation’s Cultural, Historical and Recreational Committee and is a past member of the Foundation’s LEAD Council. Torie lives in Croghan with her husband, Adam and two young daughters. “One of our strengths has always been to have voices and perspectives representing the people and places of the areas we serve,” Rande S. Richardson, Community Foundation executive director, said in a statement. “Cheryl and Torie join a long list of strong leaders from Lewis County, and we are grateful for their long-standing commitment to the betterment of the region.” Established in 1929, the NNY Community Foundation’s board has 16 members, with representation throughout Jefferson, Lewis, and St. Lawrence counties. The Community Foundation accepts charitable donations and awards grants and scholarships from an endowment and collection of funds that benefit the region.