75th Anniversary Scholarship Program Inspires Couple to Establish Three New Funds

News of the Foundation's 75th Anniversary Scholarship program came just at the right time for Mike '72 and Ellen '71 Flaherty of Huntsville, Alabama. They had been thinking of establishing scholarship funds in memory of Mike's father, Virgil E. Flaherty, who died in 1990, and his mother, Beatrice P. Flaherty, who died this past May. They were motivated to act when they learned that the Foundation would complement a gift of $15,000 with a match of $5,000 to boost a new scholarship fund to the University of Maine's minimum level of $20,000 for a named, endowed fund. They even decided to give a gift to start the fund in their own names that they have included in their wills.

"We are grateful that the Foundation's 75th Anniversary Scholarship Program made establishing three funds so easy," Mike said. "This opportunity allowed us to pay tribute to both of my parents, to help University of Maine physics students and to start our own legacy."

For information about the 75th Anniversary Scholarship Program, please contact our planned giving staff. Due to the popularity of the matching gift offer it will be extended to June 30, 2010.