Pre-symphony crowd helps support single parents

 

The rotunda of the Fort Smith Convention Center hosted about 100 people on Saturday (Dec. 3) evening at the annual Single Parent Scholarship Fund Holiday Buffet Dinner.

The event always precedes a performance by the Fort Smith Symphony and allows guests to drop in anytime between 5 and 7 p.m. prior to the symphony performance. Basically, it’s like an evening out for dinner and a show.

Tickets were $40 and the proceeds from the event will help fund future scholarship recipients.

Gary Hutchison performed on solo guitar and Golden Corral catered the event with prime rib and pork loin as the main entrees. Wine and beer as well as soft drinks were included in the ticket price.

Dr. Chris Ashworth donated paintings from his private collection painted by Ernest Fredericks and his son Glenn Swedlun. The minimum bid for the silent auction item was $3,000 for a painting valued at $5,000-$6,000. The winner had their choice of a single painting from a selection of three. The entire winning bid will be donated to the SPSF.

Linda Kaufenberg, executive director of the SPSF, said this year there are 15 scholarship recipients graduating and the fund awarded more than 100 scholarships this year to 60 students.

"We have an 88 percent retention rate which means that 88 percent of them either continue in school or graduate," Kaufenberg said.

As of Jan. 1, 2011, the SPSF merged with the Franklin County Single Parent group and now serves those counties as well as Crawford and Sebastian Counties. Kaufenberg said this change will add about 10 additional scholarships a year.

From fall of 2004 through spring of 2012, SPSF has awarded 638 scholarships totaling $348,726.

To be eligible for a SPSF scholarship, a student must be enrolled in at least 6 credit hours (except during summer semester), have a 2.0 GPA upon application and maintain that GPA at midterm. Sole custody of a child under age 18 is also a requirement.

The funds are presented directly to the student with half dispensed at the start of the semester and the remainder at midterm. The money can be used in any way the student deems fit — often it is applied to living expenses, transportation needs, child care costs or an unforeseen emergency expense.