The Polk County Campus (PCC) Isothermal Community College (ICC) Foundation has begun its 2010-2011 term with three new members: Dick Armstrong, Betsy Carr and Judy Lair. They join Lisa Barrows, Alan Batchelder, Sally Jo Carter, Bernard Eiserloh, Thad Harrill, Darlene McFarland (VP), Liz Quattlebaum (treasurer), Heather Smith (secretary), Kathy Taft, Gorden Threlfall, Sherril Wingo (president) and Priscilla Yeager.

The board’s continued focus is the Polk County New Century Scholars program that selects three seventh graders each year and mentors them through high school graduation. If the scholar has maintained good grades, participated in community service and remained drug and alcohol-free, he or she is guaranteed two years of tuition-free education at Isothermal Community College in Spindale.

To raise money for its New Century Scholars program, the foundation annually hosts a golf tournament at The Cliffs at Glassy. Area businesses and friends support this tournament through teams, monetary contributions and in-kind donations. The 2011 tournament is scheduled for Monday, October 24. Proceeds from the first two tournaments allowed the Polk ICC Foundation to start an endowment fund specifically for New Century Scholars at the Polk County Community Foundation (PCCF). With more students joining the program each year, this fund will ensure its future.

In 2010, the PCC ICC Foundation received a bequest of $25,000 from Mary F. Kessler, a local supporter of Polk’s Isothermal Community College, and used it to create another PCCF fund that addresses general needs of the Polk County campus now and in the years to come.

Donations may be made to Polk ICC Foundation, 1255 W. Mills Street, Columbus, or to either of the two funds at the Polk County Community Foundation.