On May 9, 2023 GFWC Ossoli Circle had the privilege of presenting the 2023 Scholarships for the Unicorn Fund. This fund supports underprivileged children in Scott and Morgan counties in Tennessee.
Roberta Pedigo, Ossoli Circle Trustee Chair, presents VeRhonda Hembree of the Unicorn Fund, checks for their two high school scholarship recipients from Morgan and Scott Counties, with Linda Owen, Executive Director, Unicorn Fund and Angie Wilson, Unicorn Board member looking on.
Over the years, Ossoli members have been blessed with getting to know some of the scholarship winners. Several of the previous winners continue to visit and update the membership with their education success story. Pictured below: Troy Wilson, is entering his senior year at UTK this fall, and is a 2020 GFWC Ossoli Circle Marion Bloomer Scholarship Recipient. VeRhonda Hembree is next to him. The second picture is Bailey Smith, a 2018 Unicorn Fund scholarship recipient who is a graduating senior at UTK. Congratulations to both of the outstanding students.
GFWC Ossoli Circle provides both monetary and in-kind Appalachian Assistance donations. In-kind donations are made to the Unicorn Boutique consignment shop and sales from the boutique support citizens of Scott and Morgan Counties in various ways. At the GFWC Ossoli Circle Clubhouse, on Monday May 8th, the Unicorn Fund’s Board of Directors was presented two $1500 higher education scholarships by a GFWC Ossoli Circle Trustee. These two scholarships will be given to a deserving and qualified high school graduate, one from Morgan County and the other from Scott County. The $1500 scholarships are awarded through the use of the Angie Warren Perkins School Trust Fund, and the Ossoli Circle Endowment Fund. Both of these funds are managed by the Board of Trustees of GFWC Ossoli Circle.
Appalachian Christmas Shoe Box Project
Wrapping up the year in December was our Appalachian Assistance Shoe Box project that netted over 164 gifts, 24 unwrapped ones that were odd sized, 7 miscellaneous items and 36 gift cards worth more than $500. Several Board members from Unicorn Fund were present as well as Troy Wilson, a senior at UT who is a Unicorn Fund “Marion Bloomer” scholarship recipient. After staying for lunch, the Unicorn representatives packed their trucks and cars with all of their gifts and headed back to Wartburg to begin the task of assembling these special items for the children in Morgan and Scott counties to help make their Christmas become a reality.
