On Sunday, the Solvay-Geddes Community Youth Center opened one of their holiday gifts – or rather, they tore it up. Solvay Tigers Athletic Club President Joseph Alcaro joined Honeywell and the DeSpirito family at the center’s annual holiday party to accept their donations to pay off a 10-year loan that covered recent pool repairs. In celebration, Alcaro ripped up a replica of the loan.
 Honeywell Program Director John McAuliffe and Victor and John DeSpirito tour the Solvay-Geddes Community Youth Center pool with Executive Director Leonard Pfeiffer. |
 Solvay Tigers Athletic Club President Joseph Alcaro destroys a replica of the center’s pool repair loan. |
“We are honored that Honeywell and the DeSpirito family continue to show their commitment to ensuring that our center remains the viable, community asset that we all enjoy,” said Solvay-Geddes Community Youth Center Executive Director Leonard Pfeiffer.
“Honeywell is proud of its partnership with the Solvay-Geddes Community Youth Center,” said Honeywell Syracuse Program Director John McAuliffe. “The center is an important neighborhood asset and a part of our history in the Solvay-Geddes community.”
The pool, which is used extensively by the community, seniors and youth center members, was in danger of closing permanently if repairs were not made. The Solvay Tigers obtained an emergency loan that was used to replace the original pipes and upgrade the pool “deck” with a non-slip surface. The pool is now in great shape and the loan is paid thanks to contributions from Honeywell and the DeSpirito family.
 The newly-repaired Solvay-Geddes Community Youth Center pool. |
 Assemblyman William Magnarelli thanks Honeywell for its donation to the Solvay-Geddes Community Youth Center. |
Honeywell has had a long-standing relationship with the center. When it was built in 1963, Allied Chemical and its employees contributed greatly to the center’s original construction, donating labor, materials and equipment. In 1965, the pool was dedicated by Solvay Chemical Corporation. Allied and Solvay later became Honeywell.
In 2005, the first major structural overhaul of the center was supported by two grants – $100,000 from New York State Senator John DeFrancisco and $250,000 from Honeywell.
The DeSpirito family has shown continuous support of the Community Center and the Solvay community.
Solvay-Geddes Community Youth Center Executive Director Leonard Pfeiffer, Geddes Supervisor-Elect Emanuele Falcone, Solvay Mayor Kathy Marinelli, Solvay Tigers Athletic Club President Joseph Alcaro, Honeywell Program Director John McAuliffe, Victor DeSpirito, John DeSpirito, Assemblyman William Magnarelli and Geddes Supervisor Robert Czaplicki celebrate Honeywell’s and the DeSpirito family’s gift.
For more information on the Onondaga Lake cleanup, please visit:
www.onondaga-lake-initiatives.com
