Employee Scholarship Fund Supports Westminster Team Members
As the school year kicks off this fall, Westminster Communities of Florida is proud that our Team Member Scholarship Funds are already helping nearly 40 team members throughout the state with their college tuition, thanks to the generous contributions of residents and other donors throughout Florida.
In 2019-2020, the Scholarship Funds at our communities provided more than 75 scholarships to 53 team members throughout the state, and raised more than $174,000 in total to support team members now and in the future. So far 2020-2021, the Scholarship Funds have received almost $34,000 in contributions.
Education is expensive and for those team members who are looking for opportunities to advance their careers, we believe in supporting them. We’re also very fortunate that the more than 7,000 residents of Westminster Communities of Florida value our team members and their advancement.
These programs show a preference for those who are interested in “career ladder” opportunities – for example, a cook who wants to become a chef, or a Licensed Practical Nurse who wants to become a Registered Nurse.
One recipient, Marcia Meredith, a Licensed Practical Nurse at Westminster Oaks in Tallahassee, is studying to become a Registered Nurse. She said that the generous support of the Team Member Scholarship Fund has allowed her to avoid the worries of a large student loan. “It really means a lot to me that the residents showed confidence in my ability to achieve my goals,” she said. “I will do my very best in school and in work.”
Father Ronald Brokaw, a retired Episcopal minister and resident at Westminster Palms in St. Petersburg, says that he gives to the Scholarship Fund to help team members realize their potential. “For 32 years, the scholarship fund at Westminster Palms has been supported by generous donations inspired by our residents’ dedication to encouraging our staff to grow in lifelong learning. We remain enthusiastically supportive of scholarships so that our team members can grow through educational opportunity.”
Brokaw said that hearing from team members helps energize the residents. “Notes of thanks from team members continue to excite our residents who are committed to assist the staff in their desire to learn and grow,” he said.
The Team Member Scholarship Funds are managed by the Westminster Retirement Communities Foundation, to be used to support our team members’ education and provided through the generosity of those who donate to the Foundation. The Team Member Scholarship Fund is one of the many wonderful ways in which our residents express their appreciation for the dedicated services of these valued members of our team.
“It’s heartwarming and amazing that so many residents want to support our team members with their education,” said Noreen Levitt, Vice President of Development. “We receive so many generous gifts from those who want another way to say ‘thanks’ to those who make life more enriching at their communities.”
To learn more about the Team Member Scholarship Funds and how you can support our team members, visit the Foundation’s Web site at www.WestminsterCommunitiesFL.org/foundation.
