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H.E.R.O Scholarship Fund, Inc.
"Honoring Excellence And Rewarding Optimism"
Thank you for visiting the official website of the H.E.R.O. Scholarship Fund, Inc.!
In the late 90's Doug Rosner, a long-time South Lake Tahoe real estate broker, had two kids moving through South Tahoe High School. Doug's house was often a place for the high school kids to "hang out," primarily as a result of his wife's hospitality and "open refrigerator" policy. Through his involvement with South Tahoe High School students, teachers and administrators, he began to notice a pattern.
It seemed that there was a void in recognition for the "forgotten heroes" who had overcome seriously difficult obstacles to graduate high school and continue their education. These obstacles include life-jarring events such as the death of a parent during their high school years, a serious physical challenge, overcoming substance abuse and other heart-wrenching familial difficulties.
Qualifications for a nomination for a H.E.R.O. Award include positive attitude, good grades, financial need, the spirit to overcome obstacles and a desire to graduate into higher education.
H.E.R.O. Scholarship Fund, Inc. began with a humble $750 distribution to each of four S.T.H.S. students in 1998. The effort involved about 15 local contributors who were contacted with the idea of honoring these kids with a stipend and a plaque commemorating their award at the annual S.T.H.S. Awards Ceremony.
The fledgling program touched four lives and sparked a great deal of interest with the administrators and counselors at S.T.H.S.--enough interest for the program to grow and thrive over these many years to a contributor base of dozens of individuals, businesses, professionals and service organizations.
H.E.R.O. now pledges scholarship awards each year to two transferring students from Lake Tahoe Community College who will be attending 4-year colleges or universities, in addition to our many S.T.H.S. recipients. Total pledge amounts each June have increased over the years into the low to mid-$30,000's which we hope to continue to increase every year based on our supporters continuing generosity.
In order to cast the spotlight on the recipient, the H.E.R.O. Awards are given ANONYMOUSLY from a "Coalition of South Lake Tahoe Businesses and Professionals." This selfless form of giving is a cornerstone of the program dating back to 1998.
As a 501(c)(3) non-profit charitable organization, your contributions are fully tax deductible, and EVERY DOLLAR collected passes through to our H.E.R.O. recipients. The time, respective expertise, and requisite materials for this continued project are donated by its Board of Directors, and the joy they receive from watching the H.E.R.O Scholarship recipients’ flourishing is more than enough reward for their ongoing efforts.
Board Of Directors:
Doug Rosner, President
Dave Zicko, Treasurer
Ken Rollston, Secretary (in memoriam)
Ron Yokotake, Director
Jen Spina, Director
For additional information, contact Doug Rosner at (530) 314-9221.
How to Donate
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