CSF Westfield Dollars for Scholars  

 P.O. Box 382   Westfield, MA 01086 

413-568-2103               

email:csfwestfieldma@gmail.com

 

  History of CSF Westfield Dollars for Scholars  

   Westfield, Massachusetts

  

Cynthia Neary, Selected by Scholarship America as National Volunteer of the Year,  2015

In March of 1962, Dr. Irving Fradkin, founder of the fledgling national organization Citizens' Scholarship Foundation of America, gave a presentation at a meeting of the Westfield, Massachusetts Jaycees.  Dr. Fradkin challenged everyone in the Westfield Community to give at least one dollar toward sending its youth to college.  As a Dollars for Scholars chapter of the new national organization, community volunteers would be responsible for raising funds to provide scholarships to deserving local students in undergraduate college education.

     The Jaycees, inspired by Dr. Fradkin and their own altruistic commitment to Westfield, recruited representatives from the Westfield Public School system, civic organizations, local businesses, and interested individuals to form an organizational committee. After several meetings, Citizens' Scholarship Foundation of Westfield was incorporated as one of the early Dollars for Scholars chapters of Citizens' Scholarship Foundation of America. 

     The first meeting of this new chapter was held on October 17, 1962. Extensive fundraising ensued and the very first Citizens' Scholarship Foundation of Westfield Awards Night was held on June 3, 1963. The CSF Board of Directors was incredibly proud to award 40 scholarships with a total value of $9,200.

     Fast forward five decades and the national organization is now called Scholarship America and has Dollars for Scholars chapters in 3,500 communities. Citizens' Scholarship Foundation of Westfield, now called  CSF Westfield Dollars for Scholars is still a chapter and is still helping local students achieve their dreams through post-secondary education.and since 1962,  has awarded an impressive $2,697,315 of donated funds to 5,608  Westfield students through the generosity of the Westfield community and the dedicated efforts of CSF volunteers

 

Students and volunteers work on packaging grinders to deliver during Super Bowl Weekend in 1971 as a CSF fundraiser

1971 - Students and volunteers work on packaging grinders to deliver during Super Bowl Weekend.

 In 1971 CSF launched a new and different fundraiser in the form of grinder sales. It was Super Bowl weekend and dozens of volunteers packed the cafeteria of the Junior High, now the South Middle School. Students and parents made hundreds of cold cut grinders that Saturday morning and Jack Mulligan, and many others drove all over town while we kids hopped in and out of the cars running the grinders to the houses. Believe it or not, in 1971 home delivery was a novel idea! The grinder sales lasted for a few years and were a huge hit.

 

 

 

 

 

2000 - Eleanor Cavanaugh and Mary Boscher, borth members of the disbanded Westfield Nurses Association chat with William Harmon, Chariman of the Endowment Committee.  The women presented a check to Mr. Harmon to establish a scholarship for a student entering nursing or a medical field.

 

 

 

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2011 - Dr. Irving Fradkin, presents the "Cy" Siefert Award to Danuta Lysy, CSF Westfield Dollars for Scholars,  2011 Scholarship America National Volunteer of the Year

In early July 2011, the national Scholarship America office announced the winner of the Dollars for Scholars 2011 Cy Siefert Volunteer of the Year Award. It was Danuta Lysy from CSF of Westfield! More than 25,000 dedicated individuals volunteer for the many Dollars for Scholars chapters across the United States, and just one volunteer was selected for this prestigious honor.  Danuta had  received the New England Dollars for Scholars Volunteer of the Year award in April of 2011 and was selected from all of the regional winners to receive the national award. The honor was accompanied by $1500 for a scholarship to be awarded by Danuta to a Westfield student.

2015 - Cynthia Neary named National Volunteer of the Year in December of 2015 by Scholarship America.  More detail to be posted soon!

2022- Our 60th Anniversary 1962-2022!

 60th Anniversary Logo

1962-2022 Sixty Years of CSF Westfield

In March of 1962, Dr. Irving Fradkin, founder of the fledgling national organization named Citizens' Scholarship Foundation of America, gave a presentation at a meeting of the Westfield Jaycees. Dr. Fradkin challenged everyone in the Westfield community to give at least one dollar toward sending its youth to college. As a Dollars for Scholars chapter of this new national organization, community volunteers would be responsible for raising funds to provide scholarships to deserving local students in undergraduate education. 

Inspired by Dr. Fradkin's passionate presentation and their own altruistic commitment to Westfield, the Jaycees recruited representatives from the Westfield Schools, civic organizations, local businesses and interested individuals to form an organizational committee. After months of meetings, Citizens' Scholarship Foundation of Westfield, Inc. was incorporated as one of the early chapters of Citizens' Scholarship Foundation of America. 

The first meeting of this new chapter was held on October 17, 1962. Extensive fundraising ensued and the very first CSF of Westfield Awards Night was held on June 3, 1963. Scholarships with a total value of $9,200 were proudly awarded to 40 students. 

Fast forward 60 years, the national office is now called Scholarship America and has more than 600 Dollars for Scholars chapters across the USA. To promote a national brand identity, beginning in 2013 all chapters integrated "Dollars for Scholars" into the chapter name. Our new name, CSF Westfield Dollars for Scholars, Inc., honors our past as we look ahead to our future. Our mission to help local students achieve their college dreams has never changed. 

From 1962-2022, CSF Westfield Dollars for Scholars has awarded an impressive $3,790,070 to 6,653 deserving Westfield students! Throughout six decades, the generosity of the Westfield community and the dedicated efforts of CSF volunteers have maintained the inspired vision of its founders. 

 

     

 

    CSF Westfield Dollars     P.O. Box 382      Westfield, MA 01085       413-568-2103