SCHOLARSHIP PHONE-A-THON RAISES NEARLY $92,000

Never underestimate the power of a phone call. Ninety students from East Providence will receive $1000 scholarships this year thanks to a successful phone-a-thon by Scholarship Foundation of East Providence that topped their $90,000 goal.

Seventy-five volunteers spent two evenings in March making calls to East Providence residents and raised nearly $47,000. In honor of the volunteer scholarship group's 45th anniversary, the Carter Family Charitable Trust matched the first $45,000 received. The total amount of nearly $92,000 will be awarded as scholarships in June to students from East Providence.

Phone-a-thon Chairman Louise Paiva thanked local residents, businesses and organizations for their generosity. Scholarship Foundation of East Providence has conducted a phone-a-thon each spring since 1995. The amount of scholarships awarded from phone-a-thon contributions in the last two decades totals more than 1.5 million dollars. "We are grateful to East Providence residents for their continuing support of higher education for East Providence students," she said.

Fourteen new scholarships were established through the phone-a-thon, including: City Hall and East Providence School Department Support Staffs, Debra and Roger St. Pierre, DellaRosa Family, Dollie Middlebrook, East Providence Education Secretaries Association Memorial, Florence Perry Memorial, Frank Gaboury Memorial, Frank Vollaro Memorial, Raymond Johnson Jr. Memorial, Michael and Virginia Sollitto Memorial, Noella Paiva Memorial, Raymond Hill Memorial, Robert E. Harrison Memorial  and Tara Wallace Scholarships.

Ten families sponsored new book awards (donations of $100-$150 which supplement scholarships) this year: Barbosa Family, Friends of Joel Monteiro, Guerra Family, Hazen S. Jezierny, Jerry and Patsy Goad, Lambert Family, Machevich Family, Nicini Family, Richard Martin Family and Robert Estrella Family.

Nine East Providence schools, from elementary to high school, continued to participate in Dress Down Days and made their contributions during the phone-a-thon, raising nearly $9,000.

Students in the National Honor Society at East Providence High School and college students who were past recipients and their families took part in the fundraising event. East Providence High School alumni made calls to fellow classmates. Representatives of community groups and board members of Scholarship Foundation of East Providence joined in contacting thousands of East Providence residents.

"We appreciate the continuing support of Nordson EFD, an East Providence company," stated Scholarship Foundation's President Peter Barilla. The phone-a-thon is held at their Catamore Boulevard facility and the company provides phone access, postage and refreshments for volunteers.

Contributions are still being accepted, although the deadline has passed for matching funds. Local residents who have not yet sent in their pledge or who did not receive a phone cal can send their check payable to SF of East Providence to P.O. Box 154438, East Providence, RI  02915.