BY KARISSA MILLER
Gift giving for your loved one just got a little easier this Valentine’s Day.
Crosby Scholars Iredell is selling special Valentine’s Day gift packages for $20. They are available for pickup at two locations or they can be delivered to your home or office for an additional $10.
The tied-up-in-a-bow boxes contain stationery, a heart craft, 16-piece puzzle, maze, rubber duck, chocolate truffle box (7 ounce), coconut maroons, young covered pretzels (7 ounce) and strawberry and dark chocolate heart cookies (4.4 ounce).
The best part about this gift is that every penny spent on the gift box benefits a senior who needs financial help for college.
Pickup is on Friday, February 12, between 10 a.m. and 3 p.m. at two locations.
The locations are Sawyer Insurance, 2195 Perth Road in Mooresville, and Goodwill Workforce Development Center, 124 4th Crescent Place in Statesville, which is located next to the Home Depot.
Visit https://tied-up-in-a-bow.cheddarup.com to purchase a box.
Suzanne Wegmiller, executive director of Crosby Scholars Iredell, said the organization’s annual Casino Night fundraiser, which usually takes place in February, was cancelled this year. The event raises money for Crosby scholarships and Last Dollar Grants that are awarded to high school seniors.
“Since it’s not possible to hold large in-person events, we’ve had to rethink and reimagine our options. We’re continuing to host fundraisers to grow our funds for Last Dollar Grants and scholarships,” Wegmiller explained.
Jenniffer Jamison, senior program coordinator for Crosby Scholars, works with approximately 276 seniors in the program. She recently had a difficult conversation with a mom who is trying to navigate how she can help her child pay for college even after receiving a significant scholarship from the school.
This mom’s predicament underscores the heightened stress and concerns felt by many parents in Iredell throughout the pandemic.
“With COVID-19, there’s a greater need for financial aid and local scholarships for our seniors,” Wegmiller said. “Some parents have been out of work for a while or their hours have been cut back; unfortunately, that’s not going to show up on the federal application for student aid.”
Last year, Crosby Scholars provided aid to 70 students. The nonprofit has given out around $55,000 in Last Scholarship Grants alone.
“Our goal is always to increase that by numbers and by amount,” Wegmiller said.
The program is also looking for new community contributors and partners who would like to support their vision of college opportunities for every student.
Wegmiller explained that it’s been a tough year on these students and any donations will help go towards local scholarships for students.
Interested partners can contact Suzanne Wegmiller at swegmiller@crosbyscholarsiredell.org .
About Crosby Scholars
Crosby Scholars is a nonprofit that provides free college access programs for all students in sixth through 12th grade. Students must commit to being drug free and take part in community service actives to be in the program. Crosby Scholars prepares students academically, financially and personally for college and other pathways while offering career exploration opportunities. Since March 2020, Crosby Scholars has continued to provide the same opportunities for students but doing so virtually now.