Community Cares!
A weekly blog from the
Rockland Community Foundation
Celebrating activities that make a difference in the
county we call home.
The Rockland Community Foundation Scholarship Funds - Impacting the Lives of Both
Recipients and Fund Owners
Over the next few weeks, the Rockland Community Foundation will be selecting the
recipients of our scholarship awards for the coming year: the Chazen Spirit of Rockland
Scholarship Fund, the Welles Remy Crowther Fund, and the Judith H. Trust Memorial
Scholarship. The awarding of our scholarships is particularly meaningful for the
Foundation's board, as it provides us the opportunity to make a difference in the lives of
young men and woman beginning a new chapter in their lives that will define their paths
as adults.
We are often extremely moved by the level of grace and maturity of our scholarship
recipients, who always seem to touch our lives as much as we touch theirs. As an
example, we'd like to share the story of one of last year's winners:
In June 2012, the Rockland Community Foundation awarded its Welles Remy Crowther
Red Bandana Memorial Scholarship to a deserving student from North Rockland High
School named Jaclyn O'Shea. The scholarship honors the courage and heroism of a
young man, Welles Remy Crowther, a former volunteer firefighter and Rockland County
resident.
Welles was an equities trader who always carried a red bandana in his right pocket. He
was at his job at 2 World Trade Center on 9/11 when the planes hit. In the hours that
followed, eyewitnesses reported seeing a man, stripped to his T-shirt and wearing a red
bandanna to cover his nose and mouth as protection against the smoke and debris,
working tirelessly to organize a rescue effort above where the official rescuers were able
to reach. Without regard for his own life, he helped two groups of survivors to safety
before perishing. This man was later identified as Welles.
When Jaclyn and her family arrived at our awards ceremony to accept the scholarship
from Welles' father, Jefferson Crowther, she and her family members entered the room
wearing red bandanas wrapped around their wrists. After the ceremony, Jackie spent
some time talking with Jefferson, and just before leaving presented him with a bouquet
of red roses and a lovely pillow she had made from two red bandanas, as her way of
honoring his son and thanking his family for their generous gift. There was not a dry eye
in the room. While the Crowther scholarship has helped ease Jackie's financial burden,
her thoughtful gesture has given Welles' father something he will carry with him for the
rest of his life.
This simple act of kindness demonstrates why charitable organizations like the Rockland
Community Foundation are so essential to our county. While our funds are diverse, they
share one a common goal: uniting donors and causes, to the benefit of both. Sometimes
our funds bring people together in ways that will help them flourish. Other times, they
unite our neighbors in ways that will help them heal. With their fund through the
Rockland Community Foundation, Welles' parents have ensured that their son's legacy
of courage and self-sacrifice will live on.
For more information on the Welles Remy Crowther Scholarship, or any of our other
scholarship funds, or to make a donation, visit rocklandgives.org.
This year's scholarship recipients will be announced in early June.
About the Community Cares Blog and the Rockland Community Foundation
The Community Cares Blog, hosted by the Rockland Community Foundation, celebrates
the spirit of giving in our community. Each week, we will post a story of philanthropy or
shine a spotlight on an activity that is making a difference in the lives of our neighbors.
We invite Rockland non-profits, individuals and businesses to contribute to the
Community Cares blog by sending an email to [email protected].
As the umbrella charitable organization for the county, the Rockland Community
Foundation is working to connect donors with the causes they care about most. Our
grants support a wide range of interests and, with the support of Rockland residents and
businesses, we are committed to a path of growth that will enable us to help the nonprofit community continue their vital work. You can learn more by visiting us at
http://www.rocklandgives.org.
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