Brick Chamber Awards $35K In Scholarships

BRICK, NJ — The Brick Township Chamber of Commerce's Educational Foundation has delivered for students, providing $35,000 in scholarships to assist students heading off to college.

Usually, the scholarships are presented to the students in person at an awards ceremony at Crystal Point Yacht Club in Brick. But with the coronavirus pandemic disrupting so many "typical" events, the chamber turned to a different method: delivering the really large checks to the students' homes.

"It’s quite a bit more effort than usual," said Brian Mirsky, who serves as the foundation's president. "But it’s worth it. These kids worked exceptionally hard in school and in life, and we’re proud to be able to help make college just a little bit easier for them."

Mirsky and other members of the chamber drove around and delivered the checks to the 19 students who were selected following a process where applications are reviewed and scored, giving weight to academics, financial need, activity participation, letters of recommendation and student essays. The scores from the committee members are combined and totaled, then categorized depending on what type of scholarship students applied for. Many students have chosen a specific industry or field (medical, technology, legal), and the foundation also awards a special scholarship just for first-generation college students.

Since its inception, the foundation has awarded close to $400,000.

Money for the scholarships is raised in 3 ways by the Brick Chamber of Commerce’s Foundation:

• Through the purchase of leaves, boulders and stones on their Tree of Learning at the displayed in the township Municipal Building. Information on the tree can be found online.
• Through a yearly Dream Dollars 50/50 raffle. There were 300 tickets sold worth $100 each in 2020, with $15,000 to the winner and the other half to the foundation.
• Through direct donations from local area businesses and individuals, this year including:
  • The Emil M. Liloia Memorial Scholarship
  • Brick Morning Rotary Club Foundation
  • Law Offices of Carolyne Kalson
  • Wang Orthodontics
  • SJG Financial Wealth Management
  • Two Fit Crazies and a Microphone Podcast
  • Wingman Planning
  • Encore Dental’s Anthony Emma Memorial
  • Crystal Point
  • Richard & Lisa Lau
  • Paul Barlo
  • Princeton Dental
  • Cara Realtors of Brick
  • Sun West Mortgage
  • Fast Signs of Brick

For more information about the chamber's Educational Foundation or the Tree of Learning, check their website and Facebook page.

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