The First Community Foundation Partnership of Pennsylvania recently announced that the Williamsport Knights of Columbus has established the Williamsport Knights Home Association Scholarship Fund that will be awarded to graduating students of St. John Neumann Regional Academy.
The $40,000 gift comes as a result of the sale of property by the Williamsport Home Association of the Knights of Columbus.
"Our group realized they wanted an extension of the work they had embraced each year," said Arthur Girio. "We liked the idea of creating something in perpetuity and we couldn't think of any better way of doing it than with the guidance and assistance of FCFP."
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Dawn Linn and Jennifer Wilson of the First Community Foundation Partnership of Pennsylvania, and Kathy Bahr, St. John Neumann Regional Academy, met with representatives of the Williamsport Knights of Columbus to establish the Williamsport Knights Home Association Scholarship Fund. Front row, seated, are Arthur Girio, Augustine Nicolio and Edward Mertes; and back row, from left, are Linn; Bahr; Leonard Federowicz; Jerome Derr; Andrew Johnson; Jon Hasselman; and Wilson.
In 1881, a group of men formed a fraternal society that would one day become the world's largest Catholic family fraternal service organization. They sought strength in solidarity, and security through unity of purpose and devotion to a holy cause: they vowed to be defenders of their country, their families and their faith. These men were bound together by the ideal of Christopher Columbus, the discoverer of the Americas, the one whose hand brought Christianity to the New World. Their efforts came to fruition with the incorporation of the Knights of Columbus on March 29, 1882.
"We are so grateful for community organizations like the Williamsport Knights of Columbus that realize the impact they can have on their community through a gift to the Community Foundation. This gift will ensure funds will be available to meet the organizations charitable desires to assist graduating students, forever," said Dawn Linn, FCFP vice president of philanthropy.
The scholarship will be awarded annually to a graduating senior from St. John Neumann Regional Academy who is a current parishioner of the Catholic Church and is pursuing a post-secondary education at an accredited college or university. Students interested in applying for the scholarship should contact their high school guidance counselor. Complete guidelines and a printable application will be available on the Community Foundation's website www.fcfpartnership.org under Scholarships.
