Lending a Helping Hand to the Community
The Community Foundation of the Virginias, Inc. promotes philanthropy by fostering charitable giving, serving our donors’ interests, and effectively responding to the needs and opportunities of communities in Mercer County, WV, Tazewell County, VA, and surrounding areas.
Through scholarships and grants in the areas of Education; the Arts, Culture, and the Humanities; Health; and Human Services, the Community Foundation matches the generosity of the people of our area with the needs of area organizations and individuals.
The Foundation is deeply saddened at the passing of Nick Ameli on May 8 following a brief illness. Nick was involved with the Foundation from 1997 until about a year or so ago when he became unable to participate.
He served as our President, was on the Finance Committee and other committees, and on the Board of Directors for many years, and was the regular emcee of our Annual Dinners for many years. Nick was a wonderful person and a strong supporter of the Foundation, and he will be greatly missed.
His daughter, Debbie Froy, notified us that she and her sister and brother are starting a scholarship fund with the Foundation in Nick’s memory, and will ask for donations to it in his obituary.
The Board of Directors of the Community Foundation of the Virginias, Inc. approved 150 scholarships for graduating seniors at high schools in Mercer County and Tazewell County at its meeting on May 9, 2023.
The Foundation’s Scholarships Committee recommended awards for 81 applicants in the 2023 Scholarships Cycle. Awards were also approved for 32 college students who were eligible to renew scholarships they had received previously.
These awards totaled $419,000, and were funded by 51 separate scholarship funds at the Foundation.
The Foundation appreciates the dedication and hours of time invested by the Scholarships Committee, the members of which are: Tom Chaffins, Chairman; Gene Bailey, Deborah Garton, Lisa Lineberry, Cathy Corte Payne, Peter Taylor, and Cathy Zimmerman.
Recipients will be notified by letter in the next several days.
Rodney Mayberry (right) is shown presenting a plaque expressing the appreciation of the Marine Corps Toys for Tots organization to Community Foundation Executive Director James Shott.
2022 Is the 75th year of Toys for Tots.
At its September 13 meeting, the Board of Directors of the Community Foundation of the Virginias, Inc. approved 75 Grants totaling $405,583.42 in the four categories of charitable giving in the 2022 Grants Cycle.
The number of Grants by category are:
Human Services = 50
Arts and Humanities = 13
Education = 6
Health = 6
The Foundation’s Grants Committee reviewed and recommended 67 applications, six others grants came from Donor Designated Funds, and nine were from Donor Advised Funds.
The Foundation deeply appreciates the time and diligence of the Grants Committee in their work in this year’s Grants Cycle: Kathleen Blaydes, Chair; Mary Jo Babbitt; Gene Bailey; Marie Blackwell; Deborah Garton; Peter Taylor; Daniel Wells; Cathy Corte Payne; and Mike Swatts.
Approved applicants will be notified by letter, with information needed to receive funds and to successfully complete the grant process.
The Community Foundation of the Virginias has awarded 135 scholarships to 99 applicants in the 2022 Scholarship Cycle. The Board of Directors approved awarding $408,200 to assist deserving area students in furthering their education on May 10.
The awards came from 37 individual scholarship funds and benefit students from Bluefield, Graham, Montcalm, Pikeview, Princeton, Tazewell, and Richlands high schools, as well as several existing college students who qualified for awards to continue their education. The scholarships help students attending 27 colleges and universities.
The following funds awarded scholarships this year:
Alex Mahood Civitan Scholarship
Alfred and Shirley Wampler Caudill Scholarship
Ann and Geno Preservati Scholarship
B. and Ora Hunter Hancock Family Scholarship
Cole Harley-Davidson Military and First Responder Scholarship
Cyrus Leroy and Blanche Mae Nicholson Scholarship
Don and Brenda Brohard Scholarship
Dr. David A. Kovach Family Scholarship
Dr. Jack Walter Witten Scholarship
Dr. Margaret “Trika” Smith-Burke Scholarship
R. Gillespie Scholarship
Graham High School Scholarship
Grants Supermarket Scholarship
Harmon Lodge #222 A.F. & A. M. Scholarship
Iona Pauline Wilson Dooley Scholarship
James C. Ramey, Sr. Memorial Scholarship
Jane Bobbitt Scholarship
Joshua Lee Shutt Memorial Scholarship
Ken and Rick Kendrick Scholarship
Larry and Patsy Douglas Scholarship
Lauren Alexis Perdue Memorial Scholarship
Lil’ Tony Webster “Forever 5” Scholarship
Lindsay Rebekah Haun Memorial Scholarship
Marshall Miller Scholarship
Mary Ellen and Ralph McCue Scholarship
Maurice and Grace Hanna Weinberg Scholarship
Ralph H. and Shirley D. Kiser Family Scholarship
Robert Austin Family Scholarship
Rose Sinicrope Scholarship
Roy R. Raub, M.D. Memorial Scholarship
Sue Mandeville Scholarship
Susanne Nelson, Ph.D. Memorial Scholarship
Wayne Christian Scholarship
William G. Skewes Memorial Scholarship
Foundation of Health Services of the Virginias, Inc.
Joetta Collins Hooker Memorial Scholarship
Marsha A. Mead, PhD. Scholarship Endowment
The Community Foundation thanks Scholarships Committee members Gene Bailey; Tom Chaffins and Deborah Garton for their diligence in the scholarship application evaluation process.
The Community Foundation funded a project for Read Aloud of Mercer County. The grant was for $4,250, for materials and activities for the “Leap into Science” and the “Snuggle and Read” programs. Funding came from the Rotary Club of Bluefield, WV Fund and the Unrestricted Fund.
The Community Foundation of the Virginias, Inc. awarded a total of $617,784.74 in Grants and Scholarships in 2021.
Call us at (304) 324-0222 to learn more about our scholarships, grants, donation programs, and more.
Call us at (304) 324-0222 to learn more about our scholarships, grants, donation programs, and more.
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