Lakes Region Scholarship Foundation celebrates 70 years; applications now being accepted

The Lakes Region Scholarship Foundation celebrates its 70th year since being established by a group of eight civic-minded community groups in 1956 who awarded 17 recipients a total of $2,650. Lakes Region Scholarship Foundation acts as a clearinghouse for donor funds, using one application which is screened by the board of directors.

Many of the students receive a combination of scholarship awards. The trustees, administrative directors, staff and volunteers are dedicated to carrying out the mission: “The promotion and encouragement of scholarships and opportunities for higher education among residents of the Lakes Region … .”

Through 2025, LRSF has awarded a total of $10.9 million to 6,270 recipients from 654 donors.

At the Annual Lakes Region Scholarship Foundation Board of Trustees meeting, which was held on Jan. 21, Jessica Beane, Andrea Besegai, Leisa D’Amour and Teresa Mahoney Mullen were welcomed as new board trustees.

Beane is active in the community and is a banking office manager at the Gilford Lakeshore office of BNH. She volunteers at St. Vincent de Paul and has been on the board of Hands Across The Table.

Besegai is a math and science teacher in the Laconia School District for the past 24 years. Leisa is the school's director for Special Olympics New Hampshire, working with communities to strengthen student leadership through Unified sports, bringing students of all abilities together. She was a fourth grade teacher in the Belmont School District for 14 years and also served as the secretary for the Cpl. Scott G. Dimond Scholarship Fund.

Mahoney Mullen is a partner in Minkow & Mahoney Mullen. P.A., providing legal services. Her concentration is family law, guardianships, mediation, estate planning and probate.

The board also thanked retiring Board Trustees Gayle Price, James Carroll and Phil Bonafide for having reached their maximum term limits, and Kathy Gilman for her years of service to LRSF. They have been valued members of the team, sharing their knowledge, time, and expertise over the years. Both Price and Carroll served roles on the Executive Committee. Price was board vice president in 2023 and 2024, and most recently served as board president in 2025 & 2026. Carroll dedicated the past five years as board secretary.

Scholarship applications for the 2026-'27 academic school year are now being accepted and are available on the Foundation’s website at lrscholarship.org.

The deadline for applications is April 1, 2026.