Assemblymember Phil Steck (D-Colonie) announced that he presented a check for $25,000 in grant funding to the Shaker Heritage Society in honor of its upcoming 50^th anniversary. The funding will help bolster several initiatives to increase community engagement and historical education.

“From developing gender- and racially-inclusive communities to sheltering fugitive slaves, the Shakers were early trailblazers in our state’s long tradition of fostering an equal, inclusive society,” said Steck. “Historical sites offer valuable insight into the lives of those who came before us, and the Watervliet Shaker Heritage Society provides educational programs to help New Yorkers of all ages get to know some of our region’s early residents. This funding will help the society continue preserving the legacy of some of New York’s most innovative and influential thinkers for years to come.”

Next year marks the 50^th anniversary of the Shaker Heritage Society’s founding. The organization has long engaged with the community through inclusive programs and activities, including educational programs for seniors and students, community outreach efforts, lectures, craft workshops and guided tours. Steck’s funding will go toward installing site-specific movable murals in collaboration with the Albany Center Gallery, holding dance performances to the historical site and reprinting Dorothy M. Filley’s book, “Recapturing Widsom’s Valley: the Watervliet Shaker Heritage, 1775-1975,” which highlights the Shakers’ history.