‘Happy hour with a cause’ supports scholarship program

FAYETTEVILLE — As guests began to file into Mermaids restaurant for the Single Parent Scholarship Fund’s Winter Social on Feb. 2, “happy hour with a cause” conversation began to flow, as did the complimentary wine and beer.

Live acoustic guitar filled the dimly lit restaurant with warm, subtle tones and guests began to revel in the ambiance.

The Single Parent Scholarship Fund of Northwest Arkansas works with single parent families struggling to achieve financial security. In 2011, the fund awarded nearly $350,000 in scholarships, served 154 families and saw 17 of its students graduate. Roughly one-third of the fund’s returning students had a 4.0 GPA and many more had a 3.0 or above.

“This is the heart of the community. This is what Fayetteville is about,” said Trish Kalbas-Schmidt, one of the group’s many supporters.

Jody Dilday, the Northwest Arkansas fund’s executive director, wove her way through the crowd, chatting with faces old and new.

“Our goal is to help single parents become self-sufficient, rather than dependent on charity or government assistance. We want to perpetuate a cycle of prosperity rather than poverty,” Dilday said.

Mingling among the guests were sponsors like Heather Maxey, whose generous donation was used to fund the winter’s social. Together with her husband, Clay Maxey, Heather saw the need and took initiative.

“I called [development director] Anne Jackson and asked her, ‘What can we do? We are always trying to help our community,” she explained.

Members of the board of directors and other supporters of the organization were also in attendance.

However, the evening’s stars, the scholarship recipients, were not present. Dilday quipped they were probably home studying and spending time with their children, an opportunity that may not have been possible without the help of the Single Parent Scholarship Fund of Northwest Arkansas.