Our first annual SCSU Herbst Scholarship Benefit dinner was a
HUGE
success!!!!! On Friday night, Nov. 15th, over 100 people gathered at
Brothers Restaurant in Wallingford to enjoy great food, cocktails,
and terrific conversation. The intent of the occaision was to raise
money for the scholarship fund started started in April of 2000 by Lesley
and Bob Herbst at Southern Connecticut State University. The interest
accumulated on the total fund is awarded each Spring to a deserving post
graduate student majoring in Speech Language Pathology. At Friday
nights benefit dinner, our friends, family, and co-workers helped us
raise over $3,500.00, for the scholarship. The State of Connecticut
has an education program in place where, if an individual or group
puts $10,000.00 into a scholarship, they will match 50 cents on
every dollar after the initial $10,000.00. So by raising $3,500.00 this
week, the State of Connecticut will add matching funds of 50% or $1,750.00
for a total of $5,250.00 donation going to the scholarship at Southern.
The benefit started with a cocktail hour at 5:00pm, dinner at 6:30pm,
several speeches. The speeches covered topics regarding SLP's,
laryngectomees, the IAL, Web Whispers, our new web site www.speakagain.com
and alternative communication methods. The cocktail hour resumed with 80-90
people brazenly using their vocal cords while I spoke using
esophageal speech and Linda Palucci with her trusty servox.
Next year we will be more pro active in recruiting fellow larries to be
guest's of honor. It was truly a great night.
Thank you to all who were a part of it.
Bob & Lesley Herbst
