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Penticton students get education boost from bursaries

The Community Foundation of the South Okanagan awarded bursaries to 17 students
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Ben Amos (right) with Wynn Nordlund and Sasha Mandaione, two three recipients of the Sharon Amos Legacy Fund for the Arts. The fund was created in memory of Sharon Amos. Submitted photo

This year, 17 area students received a total of $44,000 in bursaries through four different endowment funds managed by the Community Foundation of the South Okanagan Similkameen.

” These endowment funds have been created by donors who believe in the value of education and its power to improve the quality of life for an individual and their family,” said Aaron McRann, executive director of the foundation.

Ten students received the Dr. John & Kathy Scarfo Fund bursaries, which granted each student over $3, 900. These bursaries were awarded to students who live an active and healthy lifestyle and are pursuing an education in an effort to improve life for themselves and their families. In no particular order, congratulations to the 2017 Dr. John & Kathy Scarfo Bursary Fund recipients: Emma Thomson, Brenna Hannon, Carson Stocker, Laura Doherty, Amaya Black, Emily Bowen, Lyndzie Caron, Meaghan Vetsch, Sasha Mandaione, and Josh Pozzobon.

The Sharon Amos Legacy Fund for the Arts was established after the death of well-known community leader, Sharon Amos. This Fund awarded bursaries to three students who are pursuing an education in the arts. The recipients of this year’s Sharon Amos Legacy Fund for the Arts bursaries each received $1,000. Congratulations to Sasha Mandaione, Krista-Marie Goss, and Wynn Nordlund on receiving the 2017 Sharon Amos Legacy Fund bursaries.

In 2013, an anonymous donor from the area established the South Okanagan Aboriginal Bursary Fund supporting local Aboriginal students. Shortly after the announcement of this new fund, another anonymous donor came forward and donated an additional $10,000 to the bursary fund. This year three local students are the recipients of this bursary fund for just over $700 each. The CFSOS would like to congratulate the 2017 South Okanagan Aboriginal Education Fund bursary recipients: Lyndzie Caron, Morgan Grigg, and Melissa Kruger.

New for 2017, Stewart and Heather Glynes established The Bench Market Bursary Fund to support students entering the Culinary Art programs. The Glynes, whose market specializes in artisan grocery items and fresh-made foods, wanted to encourage students entering the Culinary Arts with support through a bursary. The first recipient of this award is Kiara Felts.

“Congratulations to all of the recipients of this year’s bursaries and thank you so much to everyone who applied this year. I encourage everyone to reapply next year when the bursary funding cycle opens again in March of 2018,” said McRann.