Longtime Utica Common Councilman Bill Phillips is continuing to help his community even though he was taken from us earlier this year.

A donation was made in his honor today.

Bill Phillips' son Marques said his father was passionate about Utica, especially helping the city's children.

"My father was instrumental," Marques Phillips said. "Where this school used to be was at Kemble Park, and now there's a beautiful park with a walking park and basketball courts. When he was on the council he helped develop that."

Bill died earlier this year from cancer.

Thursday, the mayor and Marques, who is now the Mayor's Chief of Staff, presented a donation of $3,000 to Watson Williams Elementary School.

It was used to buy books for their "One School, One Book" event.

"By doing it as a collective group, everyone has a conversation. Everyone can talk about the chapters, regardless of what grade level they're in, and it ignites the conversation," said Watson Williams Elementary Principal Dr. Cheryl Minor.

Now, Bill's memory is fueling the future, a goal his son shares.

"My ultimate vision is just one city where everybody has opportunity and hope, and it's a place that they're excited to wake up in," Phillips said.

The school was able to buy 700 books. Older children are reading, "Mr. Popper's Penguins" while younger kids have, "Little Penguin: The Emperor of Antarctica".

As the kids read, they'll also do activities involving the book.