Thrift Store Awards $8,000 in Scholarships
The St. Vincent de Paul Thrift Store in Kittanning awarded four graduating teens a $2,000 scholarship each toward their college education. Pictured L-R: Chairperson of Scholarship Committee Sandy Bauer, Grant Recipients Leslie Benigni and Taylor Wilson, and President of the Thrift Store Board Fred Walbert. Not pictured are grant recipients Donovan Wichowski and Elaina Krafic.
by David Croyle
Four local seniors heading toward college received a financial boost from the St. Vincent de Paul Thrift Store in Kittanning.
Leslie Benigni, Taylor Wilson, Donovan Wichowski, and Elaina Krafic each received a $2,000 scholarship for the 2016-2017 school year from the Larry Collar Scholarship Fund.
Sandy Bauer, Chairperson of the Scholarship committee, explained the fund.
“Larry Collar was an educator. We, at St. Vincent de Paul, help the community. This was a way to give back to the community to help the students for their college. This is the fourth year for the scholarships. And we give $8,000 every year, so it’s $32,000 we have given out in scholarships.”
The Thrift Store was started 10 years ago. Merchandise is donated by members of the community and proceeds from the sale of the merchandise goes back into funds distributed by the St. Vincent de Paul ministry to people in need in Kittanning, Ford City, and Cadogan.
Originally, the scholarship program targeted a graduating senior from Kittanning, Ford City, West Shamokin and Lenape Tech. Now two graduates are selected from Armstrong High School, one from West Shamokin, and one from Lenape Tech.
Fred Walbert, President of the Board of Directors for the Thrift Store, described the selection process.
“They fill out the applications, then we vote on who we feel should deserve them.”
Benigni is 18 and graduated from Armstrong High School and plans a double major in secondary education and English at Duquesne University.
Wilson is 18 and graduated from West Shamokin High School. She plans to attend Indiana University of Pennsylvania in the fall.
“I’m going to major in secondary education in Social Studies, so I will be a history teacher when I am done,” she said.
Donovan Wichowski is 18 and graduated from Armstrong High School. He will be attending Carlow University in the fall for Perfusionism, which is a specialized healthcare professional who uses the heart-lung machine during cardiac surgery and other surgeries that require cardiopulmonary bypass to manage the patient’s physiological status.
Elaina Krafic from Ford City is a 2016 graduate from the Advertising Digital Technology Department at Lenape Tech. She will be attending Edinboro University majoring in Journalism & Public Relations and Digital Media Production.
Board Member George Duckstein also offered congratulations to the four students and said the scholarship program is a direct extension of the mission statement of the organization.
“Organized locally, Vincentians witness God’s love by embracing all works of charity and justice. The Society collaborates with other people of good will in relieving need and addressing its causes, making no distinction in those served, because in them Vincentians see the face of Christ.”
Local News | David Croyle July 15, 2016
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