Will and Danae Cantolina, along with family and friends, are partnering with the Clearfield County Charitable Foundation to establish the Be the Kindness Fund in memory of Westin Cantolina.
Danae Cantolina said, “It is our dream by starting this fund to honor Westin’s memory to see all his potential life achievements fulfilled through others.
“Westin loved helping his family, friends and those in need and we want to use the Be the Kindness Fund to provide scholarships and grants in his memory to members of the schools he would be attending.”
Mark McCracken, executive director of the Clearfield County Charitable Foundation, added, “Will and Danae, along with Sierra Sones and classmates of Westin, have been selling merchandise to raise the initial donation to officially establish the Be the Kindness Fund.
“Now that the fund is established, the Charitable Foundation can now accept donations to the Be the Kindness Fund through our Web site www.clearfieldcharitablefoundation.org or by checks made payable to Clearfield County Charitable Foundation / Be the Kindness Fund and mailed to Clearfield County Charitable Foundation, P.O. Box 1442, Clearfield PA 16830.”
Initially, the Cantolina’s and Sierra Sones are planning to award grant funding to a graduate of the welding program at the Clearfield County Career and Technology Center to help a student purchase the tools and supplies necessary to pursue their career in welding.
At the time of his death, Westin had been accepted into the CCCTC welding program and was scheduled to start courses at the school in the fall of 2023.
Westin’s father Will worked in the welding field and had trained Westin in the art of welding and machining from a young age and he knows welders need special tools and supplies before an employer will hire them.
As the fund value grows in future years, additional grants and scholarships will be offered to graduating students of both the Clearfield Area Junior-Senior High School and the Clearfield County Career and Technology Center.
Donations to the Be the Kindness Fund in memory of Westin Cantolina can be made as follows: Donors can visit the CCCF Web site at www.clearfieldcharitablefoundation.org and follow the links to do a secure credit card donation via PayPal.
Donors may also mail donation checks made payable to Clearfield County Charitable Foundation / write “Be the Kindness Fund” on the memo line to Clearfield County Charitable Foundation, P.O. Box 1442, Clearfield PA 16830.
All donations made to the Be the Kindness Fund are tax deductible and donors will receive an acknowledgment letter that will include all information necessary to claim the charitable tax deduction.
Anyone interested in purchasing merchandise designed and created in Westin’s memory can text Danae Cantolina at 814-553-8328. Profits generated from merchandise sales will be donated to the Be the Kindness Fund.
