Community Service Since 1907
MAY 2012 Scholarship Awards This year’s Scholarship Committee was made up of two Women’s Club members, Martha Graber and myself, and three community members, Dan Fraser, Jim Tobin and Gail Broughton. We are pleased to announce that we were able to provide some assistance to every one of the nineteen completed applications that met VSAC’s criteria for financial need. The total amount awarded was $32,500. Grant amounts ranged in size from $500 to $3000. The recipients were a diverse group: seven scholarships were awarded to college freshmen; nine to students returning to college-among whom there were several that we have been able to help for all four years of their education; and three students pursuing further education after college. Our applications continue to be processed by VSAC. Unfortunately, well-intentioned federal legislation had the unforeseen effect of eliminating VSAC’s primary source of revenue. With a severely diminished staff they are no longer able to process applications in the same way as they have in the past. As a result, a large percentage of this year’s thirty-seven applications were automatically disqualified based on lack of need. The applicant’s estimated family contribution in these cases exceeded the amount used by the federal government in determining financial need. Because we rely on VSAC to process our applications, these disqualifications were beyond our control. The scholarship committee will be meeting over the coming months to reevaluate our priorities and award process in order to maximize the effectiveness of our grants. Many members of the community work very hard to raise the funds for these scholarships, and we want to be certain that the money is distributed in the best possible way. We are all conscious of the ever-increasing cost of an education. If you would like to weigh in on this issue please contact me at onita.connington@gmail.com Onita Connington Scholarship Chairperson
COFFEE AND CONVERSATION ON THE THIRD MONDAY How about coffee and conversation with friends old and new? We had our first coffee morning on April 16th, where two dozen women of the Upper Valley happily met. The next coffee morning will be at the Norwich Inn on May 21st, from 10am to 11am. This is open to anyone whether or not a member, so you might like to invite an old friend or a new neighbor. However, to help us best plan, please RSVP to sophiajcrawford@gmail.com. We thank the Inn for their warm welcome.
NWC Garden Whether the temperature is 83 degrees for a few days, or 43 degrees, we are always ready to be delighted with the arrival of the spring bulbs. Each year the daffodils and tulips pop up multicolored and beautiful. This year’s garden is a treat that we hope you all are enjoying. There are several giant, purple alliums that should be reaching up any day now. The summer annual border is a work in progress. I have consulted with Liz at Killdeer farm about a vague idea and she assures me that they will have the plants we need. As usual, our expert gardeners are willing to put in a lot of effort to make the garden a showpiece! We look forward to waving to you, Mary Ann Holbrook