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TCHS Alumni News Assn. Announces Scholarship Fund, 'Net Access Program
ISP service from ContribuNet will benefit TCHS Alumni News Assn. scholarship program. Service is available now; follow the ContribuNet link in the Contents to the registration form. |
The association has formed a relationship with Dollars for Scholars® (DFS), a national organization that provides training and management assistance to local scholarship funding groups. The new companion entity will be known as TCHS Alumni Dollars for Scholars.
The program will be further associated with ContribuNet, a national Internet service provider (ISP). ContribuNet and TCHS Alumni DFS will offer low-priced Internet access to members of the association, and for each user ContribuNet will donate five dollars per month to the scholarship fund.
Initially, the program consists of an ISP service with dial access that will cost the user $16.95 per month. Of that amount, $5.00 will be donated to the scholarship fund. The user gets solid 'net access, several e-mail addresses, 24/7 technical support and more. High-speed (DSL) access is in testing and is projected for the first half of 2003 in communities where it is supported by local telephone networks. Satellite access will also be available in 2003 for areas and persons not served by DSL. The cost of high-speed methods will be different, but a similar contribution will be made to the scholarship fund regardless of access method.
(To register, scroll down to the bottom of this page and click the link to take you to the ContribuNet site. Your registration requires a credit card and contact information. TCHS Alumni News Assn. does not receive your payment information, which is kept confidential. --Ed.)
The numbers are interesting and exciting, according to TCHSANA President Rees Clark.
"We estimate that there are now about 15,000 living alumni of TCHS," he said. "We've registered only about 550 as of the end of 2002, but with very little advertising while we developed the infrastructure of the site and built some external relationships."
"The ContribuNet tool is just what we were looking for. It provides a real service to the alumni community while benefitting students in the furtherance of their education after high school," he added.
"If we were to get one-third of all alumni to register and if half of those participated in the ISP program, we'd be receiving about $12,500 per month into the scholarship fund. Net of publishing and tech support expenses, that would yield annual contributions in excess of $120,000. The business plan calls for half of each year's receipts to be distributed in the same year and for the other half to be retained in an endowment, which would grow each year by further contributions and by interest," Clark said.
"Our goal is that in a couple of generations, the fund might become large enough that every TCHS graduate would be able to pursue post-secondary education supported in part by the fund. We plan to include children and grandchildren of alumni in the eligibility pool, too, to broaden its appeal to alumni throughout their lives. Of course, the current ISP program is only the first step," he concluded.
It has been proposed that the $19 annual fee for association membership be waived for persons using the ContribNet ISP. This will be discussed and potentially approved at the next meeting of the scholarship fund's board.
When used in combination with a TCHS Alumni News web site, the member has inexpensive access plus a comprehensive, easy to maintain site with his or her own newsletter, guestbook, hotlist, automated contact forms, graphics support and more features as they become available. No special technical skills are needed to use the systems; it's all just pointing, clicking and typing. It's the easiest way to maintain contact with alumni, family and friends.
The founding board of directors of TCHS Alumni Dollars for Scholars includes Jane McNeil Rolufs '60, Janet Peckham Pearson '60, George A. Domogalla '61, Janell Marr Gregson '60, and Rees Clark '60, who serves as chairman. During 2003, the board will recommend and elect additional members. Inquiries by alumni who are paid members of the association are invited. Preference will be given to nominees whose presence tends to diversify the age mix on the board.
ContribuNet is located in Bend, Oregon, and is part of a structured network of service providers of Internet access and related services. ContribuNet was established with the primary intent of diverting the profit from Internet access to non-profit organizations. The technical systems are well established and well proven in several years usage by thousands of subscribers related to other organizations. --Ed.
Register Now!
Click here to register at ContribuNet. You will receive full Internet access via 56kb dial modem, and $5.00 per month will be donated to TCHS Alumni Dollars for Scholars.
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