George Smith (Rutland), Floyd James (Burlington),
Ralph Eaton (Middlebury), Urban Wakefield (St. Johnsbury), and William Chesley
(Burlington) established the Vermont Golf Association Scholarship Fund in
1964. Its function is to raise and
distribute financial aid to help Vermont boys and young women further their
education with money donated by Vermont golfers.
The first grant was for $400 for four years. In 2004, they increased the number of
grants to 10 for $1000 for four years, raising the annual scholarship monies to
$40,000 per year. To date, more
than 400 Vermont boys and young women have received scholarship assistance
totaling more than $1,000,000.
The Vermont Seniors Golf Association was founded in
1935 and reorganized in 1962. In
1977, they developed an innovative program initiated through the efforts of
William Chesley, Treasurer. This program
solicited monies from members of the Vermont Seniors Golf Association, through
their annual dues, for the express purpose of the development of the Vermont
Golf Association Scholarship Fund Investment Account.
Golfers throughout the region, the Vermont Golf
Association, the Vermont Women’s Golf Association, the Vermont Golf Course Superintendents
Association, the Vermont Seniors Golf Association and local businesses donate
to the Scholarship Fund.
Today, the Vermont Golf Association Scholarship
Fund, a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization, provides 40 Vermont and nearby New
York and New Hampshire scholars $1000 annually for four years.