Dollars for Scholars Hosting Fundraiser 03/31

Residents of Hope and surrounding areas are invited out for an evening of food, fun and entertainment as Hauser Dollars for Scholars holds its first fundraising event at WILLow LeaVes of Hope, located at 326 Jackson St. in downtown Hope, at 5:30 p.m. Friday, March 31st.

Dollars for Scholars, which is an affiliate chapter of Scholarship America, was established in 1988 by local educators, community members and Hope Clifford and Hauser alumni, says Dollars for Scholars President Angie Chambers, who wanted a way to award Hauser students with a community scholarship.

Chambers, a Hauser graduate and 1992 Dollars for Scholars scholarship recipient, understands firsthand the benefits of this program – especially for she and her two children who also benefited.

Though taking on leadership roles, such as the one she holds now as president, is admittedly not her forte, Chambers says the future of Dollars for Scholars was at one point uncertain. She and her fellow board members had to take action, she says.

During the pandemic, fundraising was curtailed, which proved consequential, Chambers says.

“That was really hard,” Chambers says. “The only thing that helped us that year is that someone left us some money in their estate, so we were able to offer some scholarships that year.”

Since that time, Dollars for Scholars has been slowly rebuilding their fundraising efforts to pre-pandemic levels and reestablishing awareness of the program and its benefits to juniors and seniors planning their post-secondary education.

The annual window for applications runs from February 15 to March 31, Chambers says. The number of awards and their amounts are wholly dependent on the funds available.

“Awards are given out according to the scores the students get on the questionnaire when applying,” Chambers says. “There is a point system that goes toward those answers and that is why some applicants may get more or less.”

Applicants who participate in a Dollars for Scholars event during the year are given extra points, she adds.

“The money is given out at the annual end of the year award ceremony in May,” Chamber says. “They are given an envelope telling them what they’re awarded and then it is up to them to go onto the web site and accept the scholarship by June 15.”

Monies awarded are paid directly to the schools by Dollars for Scholars, Chambers adds, and can go towards books, tuition, equipment or whatever the student feels they want to apply it to.

And, though it is stressed on the paperwork that students must complete all the steps to secure their award, there are many who have been awarded money but failed to accept it and lost out, Chambers says.

Unbeknownst to some, the program doesn’t just benefit current high school juniors and seniors.

“We also give out post-high school scholarships,” Chambers says. “If you got a scholarship your senior year of high school, you can reapply each year for the next four years.”

When Hope’s Dollars for Scholars was in its infancy fundraising was fairly easy and straightforward as the group regularly had a booth at Hope Heritage Days and would bake potatoes for the all-weekend event. However, when participation in the annual event got to be too much, fundraising transitioned to the school and during the former Annual Hope Ride where the group offered the meal on that Saturday, Chambers says.

“Now that the Hope Ride has gone away, it has hurt us,” Chambers says. “So, we’ve had to become creative and find other ways to come up with the funds.”

And, so, Dollars for Scholars is returning to its roots.

The upcoming fundraiser at WILLow LeaVes of Hope will be offered as a throwback to the Hope Heritage Days and is a first for this venue and format, Chambers says.

“Going off the original fundraising is why we decided to go with baked potatoes, soup, drink and dessert,” Chambers says.

The evening will also feature a silent auction with gift baskets made available by local area businesses and organizations.

“We’ve got some baskets coming together that we will take pictures of and put on our Facebook page, so people will know," Chambers says. "We are hoping to get some good bids that night and we will also have a free-will donation bucket out as well.”

Entertainment will be provided by current and former Hauser students.

“The kids will be helping out that evening,” Chambers says. “We wanted to have the entertainment by current and past students so they could be involved and those who are attending will have some kind of entertainment for the evening.”

Tickets are $20 per person and available through Chambers.

“When they order, we need their name, a good contact number and how many tickets they want,” she says. “I will contact them back to confirm and arrange ticket pick-up.

The biggest thing is, if this fundraiser goes well, I would like to make it a yearly event, so if it is scheduled around this time every year, people will know about it,” Chambers says. “We are hoping to sell every ticket.”

** Those who are unable to attend the fundraiser and would like to make a monetary donation can mail their donations to Hauser Dollars for Scholars, P.O. Box 233, Hope, Ind. 47246 **