Seabee Memorial Scholarship Association
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SEABEE MEMORIAL SCHOLARSHIP ASSOCIATION AUGUST 2015 NEWS SEABEE MEMORIAL SCHOLARSHIP ASSOCIATION, INC. March 2015 Seabee Memorial Scholarship Association Annual Meeting The 2015 annual meeting of the Seabee minutes before introducing Mr. Jerry former scholarship recipients followed Memorial Scholarship Association Levens, to present the 2014 audit report. by photos of Seabees from various (SMSA) took place on Saturday, March As of December 31, 2014, total assets states or countries. Of the 18,958 7, 2015, at the Crystal Gateway Marriott were $6.2M and investments were 2015 calendars printed, 17,000 were in Arlington, Virginia. $5.7M, of which $287,000 was from shipped to the general mailing list and the stock market. Total revenue was 1,833 were sent to units. 2015 calendar Chairman Rear Admiral David Nash (Ret.) $1M and total expenses were $695,000 sales from units were about the same called the meeting to order. In his opening yielding a net change/surplus in assets as last year. The 2016 calendar will statement, he announced the summer of $324,000. Overall investment return in include information on donating to 2014 meeting of the Board of Directors 2014 was $496,092. The Association’s SMSA through the annual Combined and selected officers and delegates to portfolio consisted of 69.1% in equities, Federal Campaign (CFC). The numbers discuss Phase II of the campaign as well 29.9% in fixed income and 1.0% in cash. in the 2015 CFC reflect donations as the potential merger with the Seabee made in Fall 2013. Total amount Historical Foundation (SHF). Vice President, Marketing, Lieutenant decreased by about 20% due to federal Commander Ken Bolig (Ret.), reported government sequestration and the President Captain Kurt Sisson (Ret.) led that the 2015 calendar featured four the approval of the March 2014 meeting months of photos of current and continued on page 4 will shop like you always do. All you have to do is Support Seabee Shop at Amazon.com bookmark smile.amazon.com and always log in Memorial Scholarship from that site. Once you choose the SMSA as your Association Inc. by and Help SMSA charity of choice, it will default to us each time. shopping at smile.amazon.com You can shop at Amzon.com and help the Seabee There’s no need to worry about your privacy. We Memorial Scholarship Association raise money for only see the total amount of all our supporters, not scholarships. All you have to do is go to details. Returns are deducted before the checks When you shop at smile.amazon.com and choose the Seabee are mailed to us. AmazonSmile, Amazon Memorial Scholarship Association as your preferred will donate to Seabee It’s as easy as that; Buy stuff at Amazon, help the Memorial Scholarship charity and the Amazon foundation will match SMSA fund scholarship. There’s no limit! How can Same Amazon. your purchases with a .5% donation. We receive Association Inc. Support you resist? Please share this with your friends and Same Pricing. us every time you shop. quarterly checks with the total donation. help us be the biggest recipient from the Amazon Same Benefits. It’s the same Amazon with the same products; you Foundation. 1 SEABEE MEMORIAL SCHOLARSHIP ASSOCIATION Letter from the Chairman 2015 Scholarship Committee RADM Dave Nash, Meets to Select New Awardees CEC, USN (Ret.) Vice President, Scholarships, CDR Jay Lutz I am pleased to report that 2015 has been a great year for the SMSA so far. Our main purpose is to provide scholarships to the children and grandchil- dren of Seabees and we are doing just that. This spring, 16 scholars graduated from college after receiving scholarships from the SMSA. What an exciting day for both the students and their families. At the annual scholarship board meeting, the hard- working scholarship committee was able to award 20 new scholarships thanks to the generosity of our donors. These new students join our returning scholarship recipients for a total of 79 students in school on an SMSA scholarship! This fall we will award over $250,000 in scholarship money to these amazing young men and women. Rockville, Md. (14 May 2015) Members of the 2015 SMSA Scholarship Selection Committee following a successful two days of deliberations. Pictured from left to right: Keith Hamilton, Jim Farley, Dan Dehler, Sheryl Chiogioji, Jim Arnold, Kathleen O’Neil, Ken Bolig, Gil Manalo, Frank Recently we examined the statistics for our scholar- Peterlin, Sophie Lutz, Rick Huxta, and Jay Lutz. Not pictured: Kurt Sisson and Barrie Donley. ship recipients and discovered two incredible facts. First, our students graduate at more than double the Each and every year that I have had the op- from SMSA for their upcoming school year. national average. Nationally, less than 40% of first portunity to review our scholarship applica- Congratulations to all and keep up the great time students graduate in four years. Our scholars tions and select our newest SMSA scholars, work in school! have a greater than 80% four year graduation rate! I’m always amazed at the talent, dedication, In addition, over half of our students study one of and energy of our Seabee children and Finally, I’d like to pass on my personal the science, technology, engineering or math (STEM) grandchildren. This year was no different! thanks to RADM Mel Chiogioji for hosting disciples. Our students are a great investment! On May 13 th and 14 th , the 2015 SMSA the event and to this year’s committee mem- Scholarship Selection Committee, made up bers for giving so much of their time and As you can read in another article in this newsletter, of 14 active duty, reserve, and retired officers effort to SMSA and the very worthy cause of we are expanding our board to include some repre- and enlisted personnel, along with represen- selecting our newest scholarship winners! sentatives of the corporate world. These individuals tatives from the Washington D.C. Area CEC are accomplished executives who will bring new Officer’s Spouses Club, met at MELE As- You should all be very proud of this and energy and opportunities for the SMSA. Welcome sociates in Rockville, Md. We reviewed 213 every group of applicants! Thanks to the aboard! high school applications for two and four- incredible generosity from SMSA donors year degrees as well as 65 current college past and present along with the tireless As we wrap up the summer and look toward year- student applications to identify alternates fundraising efforts led by Joe Leahy and end, there are many exciting things ahead for the should current scholarships come available. Dan Miller, we were able to increase both SMSA. We are starting new golf tournaments around Out of all 278 applicants (a 17% increase in the number of scholarships and the award the country, expanding our efforts to reach new applications from last year!), 128 applicants amount again this year. After two days of donors and award even more scholarships. I urge were children and 150 were grandchildren of hard work the selection committee chose 21 you to get involved. There are many ways you can Seabees. new scholarship awardees for the upcom- help. ing 2015-16 school year out of an extremely You should all be very proud of this and competitive group of applicants. These new - Follow us on Facebook and Twitter every group of applicants! Thanks to the winners, along with our continuing scholar- - Donate through the Combined Federal Campaign incredible generosity from SMSA donors ship awardees, will each receive $3,100 (CFC#11959) past and present along with the tireless from SMSA for their upcoming school year. - Play in one of our golf events fundraising efforts led by Joe Leahy and Congratulations to all and keep up the great - Buy SMSA Seabee Calendars Dan Miller, we were able to increase both work in school! - Donate to the SMSA the number of scholarships and the award Finally, I’d like to pass on my personal - Help us get connected to companies and amount again this year. After two days of thanks to RADM Mel Chiogioji for hosting individuals who are interested in helping. hard work the selection committee chose 21 new scholarship awardees for the upcom- the event and to this year’s committee mem- bers for giving so much of their time and Thanks for your support! I wish you the very best, ing 2015-16 school year out of an extremely competitive group of applicants. These new effort to SMSA and the very worthy cause of selecting our newest scholarship winners! Dave Nash winners, along with our continuing scholar- ship awardees, will each receive $3,100 2 AUGUST 2015 CM3 Marvin Shields Life Insurance as Honored on 50th Anniversary a Gift to Charity On June 10th, 2015, Naval Facilities Engineering Command hosted a 50th There are several reasons to use life insurance Anniversary Remembrance Ceremony for Construction Mechanic 3rd Class to make a gift to your favorite charitable Marvin G. Shields. Shields was posthumously awarded the Medal of Honor for organization. Using life insurance to make a his heroic actions in Vietnam while serving with Seabee Team 1104 in support of donation allows you to make a larger gift than Special Forces. you might be able to by making a cash gift. That’s because the premiums you pay are generally resumed firing at the enemy for four significantly less than the life insurance death more hours. When the Commander benefit. Also, many people have fully paid-up asked for a volunteer to accompany policies that are no longer needed. Since these have him in an attempt to knock out an cash value, there may be a tax benefit to donating enemy machine gun emplacement them to charity.