Lynne Lavery
Lynne Lavery
For the past 24 years the Pontiac Scholarship fund has given bursaries to help students with financial needs complete their studies; this year a record of 28 $1,000 bursaries will be awarded to local students. “The main criteria we consider is the need for financial assistance,” said long time donor and committee member, France Lamarche. “How much can the family and student contribute to help them with their post-secondary studies? My husband [Dr. Maurice Lamarche] and I have donated to the Fund for many years because we don’t want a lack of money to decide whether a student can continue and complete their studies.”
The committee, composed of 5 other members from local business and education sectors, works with the SADC to approach businesses, individuals and government agencies for donations. Applications are available on-line and at various locations throughout MRC Pontiac and the Municipality of Pontiac. After the deadline of June 5, 2015, they will meet to review the applications and determine the recipients based on financial need, but also on the field of study, the level of education they are pursuing, their scholastic results to date as well as long term goals; community involvement is part of one bursary’s application. The bursaries will be presented at a ceremony to be held in late June.
“The Pontiac needs educated youth who will return, after their studies, and contribute to the future of our communities. Education is the key. Our donors understand this and are very generous in their giving. We thank them immensely for their support of this very worthwhile project ,” Mme Lamarche concluded.
