Lakes Regional Scholarship Foundation marks 60th anniversary of helping students

By MICHAEL KITCH, LACONIA DAILY SUN

LACONIA — The City Council this week recognized the Lakes Region Scholarship Foundation, which during the past 60 years has awarded more than $5.2 million to to assist over 4,600 students from the Lakes Region pursue higher education.

To celebrate the 60th anniversary of the foundation Mayor Ed Engler presented Mike Nolan, president of the foundation, and Paulette Loughlin, its assistant director, with a proclamation recounting the achievements and honoring the generosity of the foundation and its donors.

In 1956, the foundation arose from a meeting "to consider the desirability of establishing an incorporated foundation, which would improve the administration of academic scholarships granted by various organizations of the area, and which might also work to increase the number and amount of these scholarships."

That year, eight donors awarded $2,650 to 16 students. The original eight donors were the Laconia Evening Citizen, Laconia Woman's Club, Lakeport Woman's Club, Kiwanis Club of Laconia, Laconia Lodge of Elks, Laconia Emblem Club, Laconia Rotary Club and Charles P. Raymond. Four of these donors — the Kiwanis Club of Laconia, Lakeport Woman's Club , Laconia, Laconia Emblem Club and the Rotary clubs of Laconia, Gilford and the Lakes Region — have continuously contributed to the foundation ever since.

Altogether the foundation has prospered from the generosity of some 525 donors, of which memorial funds, established by families to honor and remember their loved ones represent more than 70 percent.

Noting the anniversary are, from left, Paulette Loughlin, past president and sssistant directo of the Lakes Region Scholarship Founation; Mayor Ed Engler; and Mike Nolan, president of the foundation. (Courtesy Photo)