An avid volunteer in the Salamanca community, James Brundage always seemed to be giving back.
Jim – as he was known - was a longtime resident of Salamanca, graduating from Salamanca High School in 1962. After graduating from Alfred State College with a degree in engineering, Jim served with the U.S. Army during the Vietnam Conflict.
For 33 years, Jim worked as the general manager of Salamanca Board of Public Utilities, retiring in 2005. After his retirement from the Salamanca BPU, he was employed by Nussbaumer and Clarke of Buffalo as the manager of their Ellicottville office.
A devoted member of his church, St. Mary’s Episcopal Church, Jim served as the Senior Warden, Vestry Member and Children’s Church Minister. To the children, he was adoringly known as “Grandpa Jim.”
At Salamanca High School, Jim served four terms with the Board of Education serving as President and Vice President for a total of 20 years of service. Prior to his passing, he had recently been reappointed to the Board to fill a vacancy.
Jim served on numerous statewide and community committees and advisory boards and was an integral part in the renovation and expansion of the Salamanca High School building.
Jim was an avid fundraiser for the Cystic Fibrosis Foundation, and Valerie remains an active supporter of CFF.
The scholarship will stay close to Jim and Valerie’s roots. It will go to a graduating senior of the Salamanca City Central School District planning to attend a 4-year institution. Applicants should be hard-working, demonstrate academic excellence (a minimum GPA of 90%), be involved in community service and extracurricular activities and should demonstrate financial need. Preference will be for students pursuing a degree in engineering (first preference) or other STEM-related fields of study (second preference).
Valerie, Jim’s wife, established this scholarship in his memory with the assistance of their family as way to continue his legacy of supporting the Salamanca City School District.
“We at CRCF are honored to help preserve the legacy of those who worked so hard to make their community a better place,” said Kirk Windus, CRCF executive director. “This scholarship is a fitting tribute to Jim’s life and work, helping the next generation of Salamanca students achieve their goals.”
Donations can be made to the James and Valerie Brundage Scholarship Fund at CRCF, 301 North Union Street, Suite 203, or online at cattfoundation.org.
The Cattaraugus Region Community Foundation is the area’s supportive, responsive and trusted community foundation. Established in 1994, CRCF is growing good by connecting donors to the causes they care about most in the region. Grants from the foundation support many areas, including education, scholarships, health care, the arts, community development, human service, and youth development. To learn more, call (716) 301-CRCF (2723), email [email protected], or visit online at www.cattfoundation.org. CRCF is also on Facebook (facebook.com/cattfoundation) and Twitter (@CattFoundation).
