Single Parent Scholarship Fund of Northwest Arkansas backers and students gathered for lunch April 23 at Mermaids Seafood Restaurant in Fayetteville to celebrate the successful conclusion of the nonprofit organization’s Pathway to Prosperity Campaign and award scholarships.
The group kicked off the campaign in 2014 to raise $3 million to endow scholarships.
Jody Dilday, executive director, told those attending that “thanks to the success of the Pathway to Prosperity Campaign, one-third of scholarships will be funded — which puts SPSF NWA in a much more sustainable position for the future” to help meet the region’s increasing need for scholarships as single parent households and the number of children living in poverty increase.
Those celebrating success with the scholarship group included Cathy and Jim Crouch, campaign co-chairmen, Diane and Bob Shaw, honorary co-chairmen, Hannah and Greg Lee, Brenda and Hugh Kincaid, Kim and Mike McFarland, Evelyn Jorgenson, Bill Mathews, Walter Mathews, Nathan Gairhan, Kristen Stout, Laurie Morrow, Candace McCuan and David Russell.
More than 500 LifeSource International supporters helped the community assistance charity raise more than $50,000 at the Hands of Compassion Gala on April 26 at the Fayetteville Town Center. The evening included a performance by Barrett Baber.
The nonprofit organization’s offerings include adult education, counseling, food assistance, children’s programs, medical referral and senior citizens’ programs.
Tessa Capel, who works in development for the organization, said the largest programs are food and clothing pantries, which serve approximately 1,500 families each month.
LifeSource offers a day camp for second- through 12th-graders for eight weeks each summer for “kids would otherwise be at risk” because they would otherwise be home alone. The camp, which is provided at no charge to families, represents the group’s largest need area, Capel said.
Those joining LifeSource for the benefit included Joe Donaldson, Jimmie Conduff, Rebecca and Jason Smith, Terrye Brosh, Shannon Shelton, Blake Woolsey, Jean Tarvin, Pam and Gary Smith, Tim Tarvin, Brad Chambless, Bob King, Jennifer Hardin, Darien Wells and Ernie Conduff.
The school that began as a “college without walls” marked its 25th anniversary with a fundraiser without walls (well, sort of) at the Plant a Seed Soiree on April 27 on the north lawn of the Becky Paneitz Student Center in Bentonville. Northwest Arkansas Community College guests began the evening with a reception on the lawn and adjourned to a party tent for the dinner and program. The benefit brought in $75,000 to help support the general scholarship fund.
The Northwest Arkansas Community College Foundation traditionally presents Quality of Life Awards to individuals and groups at the soiree, but this year the fundraiser represented “the culmination of the yearlong celebration of NWACC’s 25 years of service to the Northwest Arkansas community,” said Debra Trusty, vice-chairwoman of the foundation’s board of directors.
Dan Shewmaker, chairman of the college’s board of trustees, said: “We are indebted to those early folks who helped transform the early vision of this college from a dream into reality.”
Evelyn Jorgenson, college president, shared big things on the horizon for the school, among them NWACC is the first community college and first nursing program in the nation to teach culinary medicine in partnership with the Goldring Center for Culinary Medicine at Tulane University and the school will establish a permanent campus in Washington County on 20 acres adjacent to Arvest Ballpark in Springdale.
Those marking the milestone with the community college included Melba Shewmaker, Nancy and Dick Trammel, Suzanne and Joe Spivey, Lamar Steiger, Roxie and Tom Benincosa, Jim von Gremp, Carmen Bauza, Amy and John Flynn and Denise Garner.
For more event photos — nwadg.com/photos/society.
Pathway
to Prosperity
Campaign
luncheon
Who: Single Parent Scholarship Fund of Northwest Arkansas What: The group celebrated the successful conclusion of a campaign to raise $3 million to endow scholarships. When: April 23 Where: Mermaids Seafood Restaurant in Fayetteville Next: Spark of Hope, June 16 Information:(479) 935-4888 or spsfnwa.org
Hands of
Compassion Gala
Who: LifeSource International What: More than 500 Life-Source International supporters helped the community assistance charity raise more than $50,000 at the benefit. When: April 23 Where: Fayetteville Town Center Information: (479) 521-4000 or lifesourceinternational.org
Plant a Seed Soiree
Who: Northwest Arkansas Community College Foundation What: The school marked its 25th anniversary at the annual benefit. When: April 27 Where: NWACC campus in Bentonville Information: (479) 619-4184 or nwaccfoundation.org
Columnist Carin Schoppmeyer can be reached by email at [email protected].