For more information, contact:
Jim Dulzo
(231)882-1341
or
Mary Robling
(231) 399-0365
Cold Creek Inn, Benzie Dems Host Buffet Fundraiser
for Benzie Student Scholarship Awards on April 24th
BEULAH – The Cold Creek Inn will team up with the Benzie County Democratic Party to host a special fundraising dinner on Monday, April 24, from 4 to 8 p.m., to raise money for three $1,000 trade school or college scholarships for Benzie County high school seniors. The scholarships will be awarded from the Party’s Carroll Volpe Benzie Scholarship Fund, now in its sixth year of helping local students. The Inn is located at 185 S. Benzie Blvd., in downtown Beulah.
The Cold Creek’s buffet will offer roasted rosemary butter chicken, vegetarian pasta primavera, garlic roasted potatoes, O’Brian corn, tossed salad with several dressing choices, dinner rolls, the Inn’s signature peach cobbler, and tea or coffee. There will also be a cash bar.
While the Inn is not taking reservations, proprietor Zee Amenson asks those planning to attend to please email the Party at [email protected] and indicate how many people are in their group, so she has a rough idea of how much food to prepare.
The Dems aim to raise $3,000—enough money to award three scholarships to seniors at Benzie Central and Frankfort/Elberta High Schools. The money can be used for virtually any expenses a student incurs while attending an accredited trade school or college anywhere in America—from tuition, to books, to room & board, to transportation. The awards will go to students who submit winning essays or works of art reflecting the program’s ongoing theme: The Common Good. Winners will be announced at each school’s end-of-year seniors awards night.
Zee said she is pleased to have the event back at her place again.
Zee and the Dems are asking for a $35 donation, which includes taxes and a tip. Ten dollars goes to the Scholarship Fund. Additional, direct donations to the Fund can be made during the dinner by credit card, check, or cash. The Benzie Dems will also be selling Party-branded umbrellas as an additional scholarship fundraiser.
Created by the Benzie Dems’ Blue Tigers Service Committee, the scholarship award honors Carroll Volpe, a long-time community activist and volunteer. Volpe, a single mother of six children and a longtime resident of Honor, has always understood the importance of education — both for children and adults. As a young woman, she served in a variety of civic, social and educational organizations, including TBAISD-NMC Education Council, charged with studying and implementing workforce development. Carroll is perhaps proudest of her years as an organized labor representative, when she relished the chance to cultivate apprenticeship and associate degree programs for members of her organization. Over the years the Benzie native also brought her solid work efforts to United Way and other philanthropic organizations, plus to the village she’s called home for years, where she served as clerk, acting on her enduring desire to help build strong communities.
“It’s really important that people join us for dinner,” said Judy Bosma, who works on the scholarship project every year. “We have a good number of students with quality entries this year, so we will likely award all three scholarships. Please come hungry! The Cold Creek’s food is always excellent, and these have always proven to be really wonderful evenings—very warm and lively and full of community spirit.”
Bosma and former Benzie Central teacher Mike Ross work on this project every year. They collaborate with teachers at both high schools, design some outreach materials for the students, and judge the entries with several other Party members.
“I had three kids in the Frankfort/Elberta schools, and each received a scholarship thanks to the generosity of our community,” Bosma said, explaining her continued involvement in the scholarship dinner. “It’s important to continue that tradition, and we’re proud that our local Democratic Party is stepping up once again.”
Those unable to attend may make a contribution by mailing a check to the Benzie Democrats/Volpe Scholarship, PO Box 403, Beulah, MI 49617.
The Benzie County Democratic Party meets on the third Saturday of every month, starting with a coffee klatch at 9:30 A.M., at its Headquarters, 9930 US-31, just west of Honor, next to the Cherry Bowl Drive-In. More information is available at BenzieDemocrats.com.
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