Monmouth County Chamber of Commerce

Fourteen “non-traditional students” were each presented $1,000 scholarships by the Educational Foundation of the Eastern Monmouth Area Chamber of Commerce (EMACC) on June 13,2006. The recipients included seven adults returning to college, two students pursuing vocational interests, and five students entering their junior or senior years of college. 2006 beneficiaries were Kristin Brush, Shrewsbury; Patricia Conley, Shrewsbury; Krista Keleigh Gleason, Pt. Pleasant Beach; Janis Grundmann, Leonardo; Deborah Horan, Tinton Falls; Dedrick Krzywiec, Tinton Falls; Deborah Lyons, Middletown; Kris, Mezzacapo, Keansburg; Dale Mooney, Eatontown; Daniel Petrucelli, Rumson; Jason Scott, Red Bank; Dana Tango, Eatontown; Patty Williams, Red Bank; and Matthew Zorner, Tinton Falls.

Each recipient has a unique story, a special commitment to education and understands the importance of giving back to the community. Kris Mezzacapo expressed her appreciation for the scholarship by explaining that the EMACC Educational Foundation scholarship “means the difference for me of being able to continue my education in the fall or having to put it on hold again. I am so excited that I will be able to attend school in the fall - you have no idea! Not only is this allowing me to continue my education, but this is providing an opportunity for me to set a good example for my daughter; to give her hope and encouragement to pursue her dreams, and that working hard and getting good grades makes a difference. She sees me keeping my eyes on my goal of completing my education and it inspires her to do the same.”

Bill Stratton, Chairman of the EMACC Education Foundation, presented the checks to the students. Florence Forgotsen, at whose home the event was held, made a special presentation as well. For the second year, Forgotsen presented one recipient with an additional $1,000 as part of a scholarship named in her honor. Forgotsen, a semi-retired attorney, is a founding member of the chamber and has made financial contributions to the Education Foundation for the past two years. In doing so, the Forgotsen Scholarship was established. The 2006 Forgotsen Scholarship was awarded to Kris Mezzacapo.

In the past seven years, the EMACC Educational Foundation has awarded a total of $68,000 in scholarships. Fundraising for the scholarship program is made possible through the silent auction held at the EMACC Spinnaker Awards dinner held in November, donations from individual Chamber members and the Forgotsen Foundation. Donations to the EMACC Education Foundation are tax-deductible.

Applications for the 2007 EMACC Educational Foundation scholarship will be available in February 2007 with a deadline of May 1, 2007.

Eleven of the students will be attending New Jersey higher education institutions in the fall. Five will attend Monmouth University, 4 to Brookdale Community College, and one each to Kean University and Thomas Edison State College. Three students will be heading out of state (Loyola College in Baltimore, New England Culinary Institute in Vermont, and University of Pennsylvania).