The History of the Hearts and Hands Scholarship
The Hearts and Hands Scholarship Fund was chartered in December,
1994. Established as a non-profit by the State of Tennessee
in accordance with Section 501(c)(3). It operates with a seven
member board. The purpose of the board is to raise money for
scholarships to assist deserving local students further their
education. The students must live in Townsend and be enrolled
in a regionally accredited college or vocational school.
In 1995, the first year scholarships were awarded, $450.00
was given divided between two students. In 2005, the board
awarded $500.00 to each of twenty-three students, totaling
$11,500, plus two special $100 scholarships. To date over $75,000 in scholarships has been awarded.
Some students have received aid their entire college
career.
Many of the students have pursued careers of their dreams.
Two are teachers here in Blount County, one a Registered Nurse,
and another is a successful actor in Hollywood. Some are following
goals of Dentist, Computer Technician, Writers, and the list
goes on.
An Endowment Fund in excess of $60,000.00 has been established
to ensure the longevity of the program. It is hoped that this
fund will be made available to students in the future.
Many forms of fund raisers have been held through the years.
Some have become traditional events, such as the White Elephant
Sale held each spring. Also, at Townsend's Spring and Fall
Festivals, there are Bake Sales and old timey Cake Walks.
On-going projects are
newspaper and magazine recycling, money jars in local businesses, sales
of Christmas / Cookbook cards, prints of Kinzel Springs long
ago, and ink jet cartridge recycling. We have held car washes,
sport physical programs, gospel singings, and silent auctions.
Local artists contribute their work. We also have the
support of several regular cash contributors and have been
awarded money through organizations such as the Kiwanis and
the Maryville Daily Times.
The Hearts and Hands Scholarship Fund could not exist without
the generous respect and support of the community.
This site was created for the Hearts and Hands Scholarship
fund by Matthew Denton
as a graduate project for IS 567 at the University
of Tennessee. This site was officially launched on December 3, 2003.
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