“Larry Collar Scholarship” Application Deadline Extended

by Jonathan Weaver

St. Vincent de Paul board members have extended the deadline for students to apply for their annual scholarships.

Each June, the society members give four $2,000 scholarships to students from Armstrong, West Shamokin and Lenape Tech schools before graduation ceremonies.

St. Vincent de Paul volunteer and Board Member Rose Freeman said students originally had until Sunday, May 1 but that deadline has been extended until Tuesday, May 10.

“We haven’t gotten a real good response, and I don’t understand it,” Freeman said. “I hope they take advantage of it.”

The scholarship is designed to help students pursuing higher education and students involved in the community.

“Initially we limited them to education scholarships, but now they can go for anything,” Freeman said.

All applicants have to carry a 3.0 Grade Point Average, be involved in school-sponsored extracurricular activities, volunteer in the community, describe how their volunteer experience related to their profession, and describe their financial need.

In addition, parents have to submit a W-2 to prove their financial need.

Despite the closure of Ford City and Kittanning Senior High schools, two scholarship awards will still be given to the first graduating class of Armstrong Senior High.

In 2014, Eli Butler (from Kittanning), Douglas Hough (from West Shamokin), Angela Crawford (from Ford City) and Hannah Smith (from Lenape Tech) received the organization’s first scholarships.

The scholarships are in memory of the late Larry Collar, an original board member of the St. Vincent de Paul Thrift Store and of the Kittanning area before he passed away of cancer.

Collar taught in the Armstrong School District, before becoming a principal and then in the administration.

Collar was also Vice-President of the society and Vice President of the store.
Applications are available at the Market Street store or in students’ respective guidance offices.

St. Vincent de Paul Thrift Store; a partnership between St. Lawrence in Cadogan, Christ Prince of Peace in Ford City, St. Mary, Our Lady of Guadalupe Roman Catholic Church in Kittanning, and the Knights of Columbus; has been in the community for nearly 10 years.

Applications can be turned in at the store or mailed in.