Support Students During Tomorrow’s Burlington Community Scholarship Foundation Telethon

This information originally appeared on the Burlington Cable Access Television Website

Click here for a brief message from BCSF President Jack Ferren 

It’s time once again to help Burlington students looking to further their education by attending a college or university.

The 20th Annual Burlington Community Scholarship Foundation’s (BCSF) Dollars for Scholars Telethon will be held on Wednesday, Oct. 15 from 6:30 to 8:30 p.m. It will run live on Burlington Cable Access Television’s Education Channel (Comcast – 22, Verizon – 40, RCN – 13).

The telethon, hosted by BCSF President Jack Ferren, will featuring three segments – one on education, one with businesses and a third with town officials. The groups come in and give donations and speak about their work.

“It’s Burlington on TV,” Ferren explained.

Viewers looking to support scholarships for Burlington students will also be given a chance to call in and make a donation. Also, from Tuesday, Oct. 14 to Thursday, Oct. 16, student volunteers will be calling residents to solicit donations to the cause.

BCSF, a non profit 501c3e, was founded in 1988 with the mission of helping Burlington residents defray college expenses, Ferren said. Since it began the organization has awarded $8 million in scholarships.

In 2013, The BCSF awarded 38 scholarships to high school graduates for a total of $80,000. The Adopt a Class program sponsored by Northern Bank & Trust awarded 28 scholars for a total of $22,500. Also last year, BCSF awarded six scholarships to Burlington Adults who have returned or began school, totaling $12,000.

Additionally under the BCSF umbrella the Burlington High School awarded $205,000.

“The grand total for 2013 in total scholarship awards collectively with the Burlington Community Scholarship Foundation and BHS program are; 397 individual scholarships totaling $315,000,” the organization’s annual report states.

Also in 2013 the organization became part of the Dollars for Scholars National Association, Ferren said.

“We took the foundation from local to global,” he said. “Graduates are now eligible for scholarships all over the world.”

Along with making a donation during the week of the telethon, Burlington residents can also support the foundation when they pay their town real estate tax, excise tax or water bill.