Dare To Dream 2012 FRWRC Awards Recipients
Dare to Dream Grants
$300: Stephanie Harding‚ Jewelry Artist. This young mother of two designs and makes jewelry from her home. She wants to make higher quality jewelry and increase her sales so she can help pay for her first child going off to college next year. Several local businesses are interested in carrying her jewelry.
$750: Mary Pat Corrigan‚ Animal Massage. Mary Pat is a single‚ self—supporting women recovering from debilitating Lyme’s disease. She is certified in canine massage and has developed a very thriving business. She opened her business‚ Higher Ground Body Work‚ in 2007 after her recovery from Lyme’s. Now she needs an updated laptop to support her business.
$500: Kasia Voll‚ Co—owner of Full Moon Tai Chi. She and her husband opened Full Moon Tai Chi on Main Street Front Royal in April 2011 which focuses on martial arts‚ body alignment‚ strengthening and self defense‚ especially for women. With her grant‚ she will purchase a free standing Bob XL punching bag and long arm shields to help students gain confidence in defending themselves. Her husband has a progressive debilitating disease and they struggle to make ends meet.
$1‚000: Regina Frye‚ Medical Biller/Coder. Regina is a 48 year—old woman with grown children and 8 grandchildren. She recently removed herself from an abusive husband and is currently living in the women’s shelter in Front Royal. She has been attending LFCC studying Medical billing on her husband’s GI bill which he is threatening to remove. She cannot qualify for financial aid because outstanding student loans. She is highly motivated and is looking for an apartment to rent.
$500: Laura Ann Jenkins‚ LFCC student. Laura is a young woman living at home and attending LFCC full time while working towards an Associate’s Degree in nursing. Her goal is to become licensed as a Registered Nurse. She raises livestock to make her money for tuition costs. She has a FAFSA grant of $300 per semester in 2011—2012.
$500: Megan Lanterman launched Kinder Compassion teaching lessons in empathy and compassion to pre—kindergarten through 3rd grade in Warren County. She has established Kinder Compassion as a 501(c)3 non—profit organization and has interest from a local school to implement the program. She is seeking to raise funds for class materials.
$1‚000: Pamela Price is a divorced woman with two children. She is still living in her ex—husband’s home because she has always been a wife and mother and never had her own money. Her goal is to train for a profession‚ become self—sufficient and be a good role model for her children. She has completed veterinary courses at LFCC with a long term goal of becoming a licensed Veterinary Technician. She hopes to obtain an Associate Science degree.
$750: Danita Lynn Graham is a single mother with two children. She has been unemployed since December 2011 after working 11 years with a company. She has been accepted into LFCC and is currently determining how many past credits will be accepted. Her goal is to obtain an Associate in Arts Business degree and find another job so she can support her children.
$200: Meredith Blauvelt Miller‚ Little Sugar Naturals. Meredith is a young married woman with one young child. She is a teacher in the public schools and has developed a home based business making body butter‚ oils‚ creams etc. Her business was started in 2008 and her products have appeared at craft shows‚ the local farmer’s market and placed in four local stores. She wants to become a member of the Handmaker’s Soap Guild to obtain liability insurance protection for her business. This will allow her to return to the farmer’s market as well as other craft shows.
$750: Carissa Wallace‚ Nursing student. Carissa is an eighteen year—old vivacious young woman who left home right after college because of an abusive situation and has been making it on her own since then. She is currently working full—time at Loving Arms Nursing Home‚ has already received her Certified Nursing Associate certificate and wants to receive her LPN by taking online classes at LFCC. She does not have transportation and needs to work full—time to support herself so she is requesting a laptop and printer to do her studies.
$300: Cadyn Speziale‚ Immortal Mountain Chocolates. Cadyn and her husband developed a home—based business where they create healthy chocolates using raw‚ vegan and organic herbs and spices. They do the total production including raising some of the herbs‚ making the chocolates‚ creating packaging‚ maintaining the web site & blog‚ and marketing the products. They have limited income ($11—20‚000 range) and need a new‚ fast computer capable of doing graphics.
Girl Grant
$1‚000: Holly Goode‚ Youth Enrichment Program Director‚ Warren County Middle School. Holly and several other middle school teachers run the Wings to Empowerment Club‚ an after—school club for Warren county Middle School girls designed to build self—esteem and promote confidence. This club is open to all middle girls and faculty/staff and there is no cost to participate. Currently 75 participants have indicated a desire to join the club. Since it is a new club without funding‚ all running equipment and educational materials will need to be purchased through donated funds.
Elaine Bromfield Scholarship
The Elaine Bromfield Scholarship Fund is an endowed family and privately funded scholarship in memory of Elaine Bromfield‚ a passionate advocate of women’s rights.
$1‚000: Sally Meredith‚ LFCC/ODU for Special Education degree. Sally is a young mother with three children and a home—based day care business. She is currently a student at LFCC and has been accepted at ODU in the fall. Her goal is to obtain a teacher’s licensure in Special Education. She is highly motivated and comes with very high recommendations.
Total Grant Money Awarded: $8‚550
The funds for the grants were supplied by United Way of Front Royal/ Warren County‚ The Fidelity Charitable Gift Fund‚ The Max and Bella Black Foundation and generous individual donations.