Serving Gogebic, Iron and Ontonagon Counties
Serving Gogebic, Iron and Ontonagon Counties
By JAN TUCKER
Ontonagon — Thirty-three years ago the Ontonagon Area Scholarship Foundation presented its first scholarship award of $500 to a graduate of the class of 1984. Since that time the foundation has granted $340,000 to 602 graduates from the Ontonagon Area Schools.
Last year’s graduates who applied for foundation scholarships each received $1,500 toward college or trade school. The foundation now has more than $1 million due to the generosity of donors and the 37 named scholarship trusts. Ten of the trusts, each of which require an initial donation of $10,000, fund more than one scholarship annually.
Meredith Strong is president of the foundation and said the growth of the foundation is “a clear testimony to the power of a dream and to what can be accomplished with the financial support of the many friends of the school community.” She said those gifts have come from alumni, friends, families, businesses, memorials and civic organizations.
In addition to the past efforts in offering one-time awards of financial assistance to graduates, the foundation is also committed to reaching its goal of offering significant scholarship funds for multiple years to all its graduates who wish to further their education.
The foundation is governed by a Board of Directors, including Strong, Vice President Tammy Lancioni, co-secretaries Megan Hagen and Marilyn Anderson and co-treasurers Sue Preiss and Willie Dupont. In addition, there is a board of 11 trustees.
Strong said that much has been accomplished, “But we dream of even more.” She added that the foundation is dependent on the generosity and support of its many friends. Tax deductible gifts can be sent to Ontonagon Area Scholarship Foundation P.O. Box 92, Ontonagon MI 49953.