(November 13, 2025- NEW YORK MILLS, NY) – The Edwin J. Wadas Foundation has announced that Buddha Dama Thuka Temple has won the $250,000.00 Game Changer Grant. The Game Changer Grant is a competitive grant created for the purpose of enhancing the joy of recreational and competitive youth sports. The winning project is the development of a youth soccer complex and an outdoor basketball court for the Greater Utica community. This initiative is a collaborative effort between the Buddha Dama Thuka Temple, the Mohawk Valley Latino Association, and the Midtown Utica Community Center, with the financial support of the Edwin J. Wadas Foundation.
The project aims to provide affordable access to high-quality recreational sports for youth in the region, particularly those from families with socioeconomic challenges and the large immigrant population in the community. The site will be located at the Buddha Dama Thuka Temple in Frankfort which is situated on Route 5 between Oneida and Herkimer Counties.
“The proposed youth soccer complex and basketball court directly address current inequities by providing an affordable and easily accessible venue for high-quality recreational sports. This initiative aims to level the playing field, ensuring that all children, regardless of their socioeconomic background, have the chance to engage in healthy and enriching activities. We are so excited to see the transformation of this space and the opportunities it will provide to children in our area for years to come” stated Victoria Cataldo, Executive Director of the Edwin J. Wadas Foundation. The Foundation also announced seven other community grant winners that evening, committing to fund an additional $444,211.26 for projects located in Oneida and Herkimer Counties.
