The Community Foundation of the South Okanagan is excited to announce the recipients of the Sharon Amos Legacy Fund for the Arts bursaries for 2012.

Local performers Nikita Afonso and Lucas Penner are proud recipients of this year’s awards. Each recipient will receive $800 towards their tuition fees.

The Sharon Amos Legacy Fund for the Arts was created after the sudden passing of Sharon Amos who was a strong and influential Penticton citizen. Amos’s passion for Penticton and for the arts led her to spearhead efforts to save Okanagan Lake Park from commercial development, to chair the Penticton Centennial Advisory Committee and to found Many Hats Theatre Company, for which she acted and produced on many occasions.

The Sharon Amos Legacy Fund for the Arts is held with the Community Foundation of the South Okanagan and has been built with donations from many local citizens.

The primary supporters of this fund, however, are Sharon’s husband, Ben Amos and the Many Hats Theatre Co-op. Partial proceeds from each Many Hats production are added to the legacy fund.

Afonso’s bursary award will assist her in her continued pursuit of a career in music. In September 2012 Afonso will be attending Selkirk College in the Contemporary Music Program to further expand her skills as a singer/songwriter.

“Being accepted to the music program at Selkirk College is going to give me an opportunity to improve my sound and make me a better performer,” said Afonso. “Music is an incredible way for me to share my thoughts and feelings with others and I have, so far, had an amazing experience.”

Penner will be attending the University of Toronto to achieve a Bachelor of Music Performance in Voice.

“Music has been the greatest of friends to me; it is through it that I experience the world,” said Penner. “I believe a man is most useful, to himself and those around him, if he loves what he does. I have discovered a love of music and wish nothing more than to have a career that focuses on it.”