Geneva Community Projects Celebrates 33 Years
Geneva Community Projects Inc. was incorporated in 1992 as a not-for-profit NY corporation.
Mission Statement: Geneva Community Projects Inc. is a charitable corporation dedicated to building and renewing the strengths of the Geneva Community through projects designed to promote the public good and uplift the human spirit. Projects must support GCP's goals, have a direct and tangible impact on the community, be open to the public and be supported by primarily area volunteers and/or funding.
The corporation was formed by a group of Geneva area residents for the immediate purpose of sponsoring the Geneva Community Playground Project. However, the word Projects, plural, was chosen because the founders envisioned using the corporation to sponsor other community projects in the future.
The Geneva Community Playground Project (GCP’s 1st project) began in the late summer of 1991 when a group of parents began meeting to discuss a creative playground in Geneva. About one year later, on September 20, 1992 construction of the playground began at the site at the end of South Exchange Street. The playground was built in five days with help from over 1000 community volunteers. Approximately, $65,000 in donations was raised by individuals, groups and businesses in the Geneva area and thousands of dollars in materials were donated by local businesses. The playground's real cost had it been built entirely with purchased materials and paid laborers would have been approximately $200,000.
GCP's second project was the Seneca Lake Whale Watch (1993-2006). Planning for the Whale Watch began in the summer of 1993. Together with an existing Genevafest committee that spearheaded events downtown, the GCP board of directors expanded. The strengthened board worked hard to bring a first class festival to the Geneva lakefront. Again, the people, organizations, and businesses of the Geneva community responded with donations of money, materials and time. On August 27th 1993 the first Seneca Lake Whale Watch was held. Over 10,000 people attended the event which included over 75 arts and crafts vendors, two days of continuous entertainment on two stages throughout the festival grounds, wine tasting, American and ethnic food, interactive demonstrations, boat rides and fireworks. The reaction from the Geneva community was overwhelming as letters poured into the Finger Lakes Times congratulating the festival organizers. Profits from the Whale Watch were used to support the Boys & Girls Clubs movement in Geneva, the Christmas lighting project of the Downtown Business Improvement District and improvements to the Geneva lakefront.
Since the Whale Watch ended in 2006, GCP has remained active in the community. Recent projects include
“Chair-ish” Geneva, memorial Adirondack chairs that will be installed along the city’s newly renovated Lakeside Park
Rose Soiree
Geneva Bark Park Project
Growing Geneva Together Community Garden Project
Geneva Music Festival
Geneva Community Lakefront Playground – together with the city and HWS
Geneva Mural Project
Fundraised and built the Lakefront Gazebo
Kathy Gaylord Costa Citizenship Award
The board of directors of GCP Inc. established an award to be given annually to a person whom the board feels should be recognized for outstanding service to the Geneva community. The award is called the Kathy Gaylord Costa Citizenship Award, named in honor of one of the original memebrs of the board of diretors of GCP Inc.
Kathy Costa enthusiastically joined the Geneva Community Playground Project at its early planning stages in 1991, and when GCP Inc. was formed in 1992, with modest three person board of directors, she was chosen as one of the original three directors. Kathy was a devoted mother of two who, held a job and was active in her children’s school association. Her involvement in the playground project was instrumental to its success. Kathy unexpectedly passed away in 1994 but lives on as an inspiration to those whose lives she touched. The recipients of the Kathy Gaylord Costa Citizenship Award should know it is an honor to be associated with the name of this wonderful person.