The Albemarle Plantation Women’s Club is committed to serving the community of Perquimans County. Each year the Fundraising Committee works tirelessly on a variety of initiatives that enable APWC to support programs that benefit others beyond the Plantation. The Community Giving Committee works to ascertain that the hard-earned funds are awarded to the worthiest needs.
Under the leadership of Rudi Harris, the 2016 Fundraising Committee gathered a record amount of funds that enabled APWC to award $6,250 in high school women scholarships and for the Women in Transition grant program. On June 14, the APWC honored these recipients at their meeting. Lisa Gregor, Co-Chair of the Community Giving Committee (CGC), announced that there were 15 very qualified applicants from which the six scholarship recipients were selected.
- Christin Castro is an honor student who completed all her HS course work in three years and plans to attend Liberty University.
- Taylor Green is a civic and student volunteer who played varsity softball and volleyball along with completing several college courses from the College of the Albemarle (COA) while in high school (dual enrollment).
- Shykesha Kee is also the Biggs family scholarship recipient. (Report on page 3.) She is an honors student, community and church volunteer, works part time at Hardees in Hertford, and has completed COA courses. She will attend East Carolina University with a double major in Finance and Management.
- Jessica “Winter” Money is an active member of the drama club and technical advisor for sound and light for all PCHS productions. She plans to attend COA and then transfer to Appalachian State University. Winter has worked in the Albemarle Plantation Golf Pro Shop and the Clubhouse restaurant since March 2016. (In photo, Winter is seated 2nd from right.)
- Amanda Pulley has received several academic awards and plays varsity softball. She is attending Appalachian State University majoring in Social Work and Health Care Management. She is the second person in her family to go to college. Her sister is the first. (In photo, Amanda is seated on left.)
- Toni Woodward was part of many extracurricular and community volunteer activities since freshman year and will attend Western Carolina University to major in Nursing. She has worked as a hostess, expeditor, and server at both the Clubhouse and Dockside restaurants of Albemarle Plantation since June 2016. (In photo, Toni is seated 2nd from left.)
Following the presentation of the scholars, Patty Walsh, Co-Chair of the CGC, introduced the recipient of the Women In Transition (WIT) grant program. Sarah Branham is a single parent and sole provider of five children. She has two jobs. Her WIT grant will allow her to take Ashworth College’s Hotel & Restaurant Management course. Sarah’s dream is to open a family restaurant in Hertford.
After the recipients offered brief comments about their plans for the future, several guests from Perquimans County Schools provided enriching comments about current educational programs and activities in the school district: James Bunch, Assistant Superintendent of Schools; Lisa Lane, Director of Community Relations; and Brenda Lassiter, Executive Director of Perquimans County School Foundation.
Lisa Gregor then highlighted several other community-giving activities by APWC this year. APWC sponsored a girls’ softball team through Perquimans County Recreation Program, supported the County Library Building Fund, and contributed to visual and performing arts programs at the PCHS and the PCMS. Paula FitzPatrick, the current PCMS arts teacher and an APWC member, presented a slideshow of her students’ work. Paula thanked the members for enabling the purchase of special materials that significantly enhanced the Middle School Art Program this past year.