Damon Edmond, a 2014 graduate of Robert E. Lee High School, has been selected by The Jim Moran Foundation as this year’s North Florida African-American Youth Achiever. The award includes a four-year, needs-based scholarship to Florida State University.
Each year, a Duval County high school senior is chosen for this legacy scholarship, funded through The Jim Moran Institute for Global Entrepreneurship at FSU.
Edmond graduates this month as one of the top students in his class. Dual-enrolled at Florida State College at Jacksonville, Edmond also received his associate’s degree and participated in extracurricular activities, including varsity baseball, band and cross-country. Active in his local Boys & Girls Club since sixth grade, Edmond was recognized with the Youth of the Year Award in 2011 and has accumulated 1,000 hours of community service.
“Now that I have this scholarship, I can tell my mom that when I promised that I would go to school without her worrying about me, I meant every word I said,” Edmond said.
Girl Scouts get $750,000 gift
Girl Scouts of Gateway Council received a $750,000 gift from local philanthropist Monica Flynn Jacoby, enabling the expansion of the council’s North Fork Leadership Center, a 250-acre camp/retreat in Middleburg.
The donation ensures construction of the Monica Flynn Jacoby Center, which will provide office and meeting space for visitors and staff. The gift also will fund the construction of restrooms at the camp’s drop-off and parking area.
North Fork Leadership Center provides outdoor environmental education and recreation to girls in 16 North Florida counties and to Clay County middle-school students.
Girl Scouts of Gateway Council serves more than 18,000 girls and adults in Alachua, Baker, Bradford, Clay, Columbia, Dixie, Duval, Flagler, Gilchrist, Hamilton, Levy, Nassau, Putnam, St. Johns, Suwannee and Union counties. For more information, visit girlscouts-gateway.org.
Walmart supports Blessings in a Backpack
Dozens of children received backpacks filled with much-needed food thanks to Walmart associates and school officials. It’s part of the Jacksonville Blessings in a Backpack program to ensure elementary school students receive nutritional meals every weekend during the school year.
Through a $55,000 grant from the Walmart Foundation’s State Giving Program, the nonprofit can feed an additional 600 children.
Blessings in a Backpack provides elementary school students who are on the federal free and reduced price meal program with a backpack of food to take home for 38 weekends during the school year.
Backpack food includes granola bars, juice boxes, macaroni and cheese, and oatmeal.
The Walmart Foundation has been a supporter of Blessings in a Backpack since 2010.
Suns to auction jerseys for children
Children of Fallen Patriots Foundation and the Jacksonville Suns have been working together to raise money for the children who lost a parent in the line of duty.
The Suns will be honoring the group at the 7:05 p.m. game Sunday, when the team will be wearing special edition Navy camouflage jerseys. The jerseys will be auctioned during the game, with proceeds benefiting the foundation.
“This event will help raise money to fund scholarships for the children of soldiers who have given their lives in the line of duty, defending our values,” said Eric Heineman, the foundation’s director of strategic partnerships.
Headquartered in Jacksonville Beach, Children of Fallen Patriots Foundation’s mission is to provide college scholarships and educational counseling to military children who have lost a parent in the line of duty. This includes casualties both before and after 9/11. The organization’s vision is to ensure a debt-free education to all such children by bridging the gap between existing sources of grants and scholarships and the total cost of college.
For more information, call (866) 917-2373.
Fishing for charity
Northeast Florida Association of Realtors President Linda McMorrow presented a check for $27,717 to Haven Hospice from proceeds of the association’s 11th Annual Charity Bass Fishing Tournament and Family Fun Day. Since the event’s inception, NEFAR has donated $215,296 to Haven Hospice. The catch-and-release tournament is held along the banks of the St. Johns River in Palatka.