The Funeral Service Foundation is delighted to announce that 52 organizations and individuals supported the 2020 Virtual Golf Classic “Fore” the Students, to the tune of $130,000. All contributions to this year’s event directly support academic scholarships in the funeral profession.
For the third year in a row, The Dodge Company and Consolidated Funeral Services (CFS) served as the Classic’s Major Co-benefactors, each “chipping in” $12,500 in direct support of scholarships.
“Dodge is honored to once again ‘chip in’ as a major co-benefactor for the Funeral Service Foundation’s Golf Classic,” said Tim Collison, COO of The Dodge Company in Billerica, Massachusetts. “A strong education is key to a fulfilling career, and we are proud to support Foundation scholarships for the profession’s next generation of leaders.”
“The profession is continually evolving, and this year is no exception,” said Peter Richardson, who co-founded CFS in Needham Heights, Massachusetts with Felix Tsatskis. “A solid education is key to be able to adapt to a changing professional landscape, and we’re pleased to help the Foundation make education accessible to students,” added Tsatskis.
Service Corporation International (SCI) has contributed to the annual event as a $10,000 Presenting Supporter since 2016. “Students can count on the Foundation to help them make their funeral service education a reality,” said Eric Tanzberger, Senior Vice President and CFO of Service Corporation International in Houston, Texas. “And we can count on the Funeral Service Foundation to invest in people and programs to strengthen funeral service.”
“Our contributors understand that even in a year where we can’t gather together on the course, there is still a great need to come together in solidarity to strengthen our profession,” said Foundation Executive Director, Lee Wiensch, CFRE.
An additional 49 organizations came together “fore” the students:
$5,000 Premier Supporters
Batesville; C&J Financial; Great Western Insurance Company; Guerra & Gutierrez Mortuaries; Matthews Aurora Funeral Solutions; Park Lawn Corporation; Regions Funeral and Cemetery Trust; and Ring Ring Marketing.
$3,000 Eagle Supporters
The Baue Family; Carriage Services; Homesteaders Life Company; Keith M. Merrick Company, Inc.; and NOMIS Publications, Inc.
$2,500 “Fore” The Students Supporters
Busch Funeral & Crematory Services; ClearPoint Federal Bank & Trust; Funeral Directors Life Insurance Company; The Foresight Companies; and Tukios.
$1,500 Birdie Supporters
Advance Local; Global Atlantic; Lake Lawn Metairie Funeral Home & Cemeteries; NFDA; and Trigard.
$750-$1,000 Scholarship Supporters
Arrington Funeral Group; Carmon Community Funeral Homes; Cozine Memorial Group, Foundation Partners Group, LCC; Hightower Family Funeral Homes; Howe-Peterson Funeral Homes, LLC; LOCALiQ, part of Gannet, Inc.; Krause Funeral Homes and Cremation Services; Live Oak Bank; MacKinnon & Bowes, LTD; Robinson Funeral Homes; Speaks Chapels, LLC; and Wappner Funeral Directors & Crematory.
The virtual event featured a virtual flipbook-style program highlighting all donors, including an additional 13 organizations who “chipped in” $250-$500 in scholarship support. The program also includes powerful testimonials from students who were awarded a Foundation academic scholarship in 2019-20.
The Foundation is accepting academic scholarship applications through November 1. In addition to academic scholarships, the Foundation offers a suite of continuing education scholarships and opportunities designed to help funeral professionals throughout their careers. More than 700 funeral service professionals benefit from Foundation scholarships and opportunities each year. Learn more about all scholarship opportunities, dates and deadlines at FuneralServiceFoundation.org.