Utica Grant for Youth Programs at Parkway Recreation Center

Utica Grant for Youth Programs at  Parkway Recreation Center

Press Release : October 1, 2024

The City of Utica is pleased to announce that it will operate new after school programming in just a few short weeks. This program is at no cost and will run Monday-Friday October 15th, 2024 through the duration of the school year. Serving grades 7 through 12 who reside in the Utica City School District, the City, in collaboration with a grant from the Edwin J. Wadas Foundation, along with many community partners, the City’s youth will be able to engage in a variety of activities focused on recreational sports and play, which enhance leadership and group learning, as well as life-skills development, all while being mentored to promote a positive social environment.  In addition to recreational sports the City will also make available healthy snacks and assistance with homework.

“The Edwin J. Wadas Foundation is happy to help provide a safe environment for kids to participate in recreational sports. Recreational play is critical for the physical and mental health of children. Play can help children build confidence, process difficult emotions, and reduce stress and anxiety. It can also help them develop healthy ways to form friendships and improve their physical health,” stated Victoria Cataldo, Executive Director.

Mayor Galime commented that, “providing and finding new and innovative services specifically geared towards youth is a key component of this Administration, and will continue to be a tireless personal goal throughout my tenure.  The Wadas Foundation’s contributions are invaluable to our community, and in this case will be directly responsible for development of a positive future for our youth, as well as create another avenue to keep our kids off the streets and focused on productive activities.”

“We are thrilled that Mayor Galime and Victoria Cataldo & the Wadas foundation made all this possible for us to provide the youth of this great city a safe environment after school for them to come unwind and be safe and active. We are also pleased with our partnerships with area agencies to provide much needed guidance for our youth.  Our team within the Youth Bureau has been working very hard on putting this dream together.” -Chet LoConti, Assistant Recreation Director for the City of Utica.

The mission of The Edwin J. Wadas Foundation, Inc. is to enhance the experiences of
recreational and athletic programs for youth ages 5-18 in Oneida and Herkimer Counties.
To learn more about the Edwin J. Wadas Foundation, Inc., visit http://www.wadasfoundation.org.  

As always, for up to date information on all our activities follow the City of Utica Youth Bureau on Facebook and Instagram.

For registration and/or questions, contact the City of Utica Youth Bureau at 315-223-4320.