Military Officer - February 2008 - (Page 41) chaptersinaction Chapter followed suit last year. Both chapters since have established perpetual scholarships with national MOAA. “We decided we had neither the depth of expertise nor the longevity in management to continue running our own fund,” says former El Paso Chapter president Maj. Ed Stone III, USA-Ret. Councils and chapters often benefit by “going national.” Donations to The Scholarship Fund of MOAA are tax deductible, and all of the fund’s administrative expenses are paid by the association, so that 100 percent of donations are put to use helping students from military families pay for college expenses. Having MOAA choose scholarship recipients ensures the selection process remains impartial, and a chapter can request, when possible, to fund a student who lives or attends school in its jurisdiction. Affiliates often personalize the process by inviting the student and his or her family to a chapter meeting to present the scholarship. Once established, MOAA’s designated scholarships exist in perpetuity. These scholarships bear the name of the council, the chapter, or the principal donor, leaving a legacy for future generations. MOAA council and chapter leaders say the task of raising $25,000 to establish a designated scholarship initially seems daunting. However, many end up achieving their goal ahead of schedule and go on to establish additional scholarships. For example, the Ark-La-Tex (La.) Chapter has four designated scholarships — more than any other MOAA chapter. Two are in the chapter’s name, and two bear the name of the chapter and longtime member Col. Steve dePyssler, USAFRet. The chapter also continues to run its own scholarship program. The Virginia Council of Chapters has established four designated scholarships — more than any other MOAA council. Meanwhile, the Heart of Texas Chapter has the distinction of being the only MOAA affiliate with an American Patriot Designated Grant. YOUR OPINION As MOAA kicks off its Year of the Chapter, we want to know: What are the biggest challenges facing your chapter? To tell us what you think, visit www .moaa.org/discussion. Most MOAA chapters, including the El Paso and St. Petersburg chapters, choose to establish a designated scholarship. El Paso has been able to collect nearly $10,000 by promoting its effort in the chapter’s Special Scholarship Edition Newsletter. Going national also proved to be helpful, with the El Paso chapter recruiting more currently serving members and recent retirees who Council and Chapter Scholarship Donors MOAA’s council and chapter members have established 31 designated scholarships and one designated grant through The Scholarship Fund of MOAA. The following list shows the councils and chapters that have established designated scholarships or an American Patriot Designated Grant and the number they’ve established. Councils With Designated Scholarships Illinois Council of Chapters (3) Virginia Council of Chapters (4) Chapters With Designated Scholarships Ark-La-Tex (La.) Chapter (2) Col. Steve dePyssler, USAF-Ret., and the Ark-La-Tex Chapter (2) Austin (Texas) Chapter Central Florida Chapter Dayton Area (Ohio) Chapter El Paso (Texas) Chapter Heart of America (Mo.) Chapter Col. Henry Russell, USA, Memorial and Heartland (Calif.) Chapter Vivian Ince and Kingdom of the Sun (Fla.) Chapter Middle Tennessee Chapter (2) Mile High (Colo.) Chapter St. Petersburg (Fla.) Chapter San Diego Chapter Sarasota (Fla.) Chapter Southern Maryland Chapter Southern Nevada Chapter Southwest Oklahoma Chapter Verdugo Hills (Calif.) Chapter (2) Raymond J. and Joan Marie DeThorne Memorial and Western Suburban Chicago Chapter Western Suburban Chicago Chapter Raising funds A council or chapter needs $25,000 to establish a designated scholarship or $50,000 to establish an American Patriot Designated Grant, which assists children of uniformed service personnel who died while serving our nation. The council or chapter has five years to raise the money and can pay in yearly installments of $5,000 or $10,000, respectively. Chapter With an American Patriot Designated Grant Heart of Texas Chapter FEBRUARY 2008 MILITARY OFFICER 41 http://www.moaa.org/discussion http://www.moaa.org/discussion
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