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Aurora Area Retired Teachers’ Association Scholarship Endowment Fund

Established 2010

aurora_area_retired_teacher.jpgThe Aurora Area Retired Teachers’ Association (AARTA) has been working for retired teachers in Kane County for over fifty years.

Due to their continued interest in education, members of the AARTA created the Aurora Area Retired Teachers’ Association Scholarship Fund in 2010 to assist students attending a two-year college, or a professional, trade or vocational school. In 2016, the fund was established as an endowment.

Eligibility is restricted to students who reside within the Community Foundation service area and within the boundaries of the following school districts: East Aurora 131, West Aurora 129, Kaneland 302, Batavia 101, Geneva 304 or St. Charles 303.

This fund also provides a meaningful way to honor the lives of former members of the Aurora Area Retired Teachers’ Association who have passed away.

Following are the names of those who are being so honored.


  • Barbara Adkins
  • Lawrence “Stan” Adolph
  • Marion Keeley Anderson
  • Identa Austin
  • Mary Barbee
  • Bruno Bartoszek
  • Hershel Benberry
  • Martha “Marti” Berg
  • Richard “Buck” Bolen
  • Norma Jean Bowers
  • Rosemary Brewick
  • Diane Brown
  • Renee Bulatek
  • Mary Cassidy
  • Marjorie Chadwell
  • Virginia Cotter
  • Florence Covelli
  • Joanne Cryer
  • Virginia Cyr
  • John Daraban
  • Hubert Davis
  • Susan Davis
  • Lowell Dehart
  • Donald Dillenburg
  • Mary Jean Earl
  • Marlisa Ebeling
  • Nell Evans
  • Isla “Tish” Evers
  • Wilman Favero
  • Richard Fisher
  • Wilma Fitzpatrick
  • Steve Fitzsimons
  • Russ Forrer
  • Lloyd Gannegan
  • Thomas Garrey
  • John Graham
  • Kirk Harding, Jr.
  • Richard Harrison
  • Carol Hatcher
  • Grace Hines
  • Thomas Holak
  • LaRee Jacobson
  • Roger Jacobson
  • Anne Janicene
  • Florence Johnson
  • Lloyd Jones
  • Marjorie Jordan
  • Thomas Karich
  • Beverly King
  • Laura “Eileen” King
  • Anne Langan
  • Patricia Lee
  • Dorothy Libner
  • Raymond Libner
  • Esther Lindahl
  • Mary C. Mahoney
  • Eleanor Main
  • Yvonne McElroy
  • Lorraine McKnight
  • Lorna Springer Morrison
  • Barbara Morrow
  • Jane Myers
  • Allan W. Neitzel
  • Ed Nelson
  • Robert Nelson
  • Donald Nylin
  • Gregory Oakes
  • Evelyn Oncken
  • Anne Padavic
  • Susan Paddock
  • Nancy Parkin
  • Elnora “Beth” Pettit-Conover
  • Barbara Pielet
  • Lawrence Pinnow
  • James Pittman
  • Richard Phillips
  • David “Dusty” Rhoads
  • Mary Robinson
  • Sam Rotolo
  • Anna Sanford
  • Lois Scott
  • Clarence William Spence, Jr.
  • Geraldine Stanford
  • Donald Straughn
  • Margaret “Peg” Steinhebel
  • William Sweeney
  • Bernice Thomas
  • Evelyn Thompson
  • Karen Towers
  • James Valesano
  • Arnold Verbic
  • Janice Vernol
  • John Williams
  • Carol Winkley
  • Marilyn Wolf
  • John Wrendling
  • Barbara Yusunas
  • Bella Zidell
  • Douglas Zolper

Education is important to us. We support causes that touch our lives and align with our values. We believe in paying it forward. We are here for a short time,, and it is the next generation that will take on what we leave behind.

Michelle Emanuel

Donor and Past Scholarship Recipient

YEP has made me realize the importance of being involved in my community, and how to make a difference. There are a lot of problems in the world but if we can do everything that we can to help the world will become a better place. YEP has helped me realize this and encouraged me to help more people in the future.

Madi Porter

YEP Member

YEP was a great experience to have in high school. I became a more confident person, someone with a lot more perspective. Coming from a small school, YEP allowed me to branch out into my community, meet students from other schools, and learn about their backgrounds. I made some great friends and still keep in touch with them today.

Abby Vagnoni

YEP Alumni

I am incredibly grateful for the generosity of the Zari Foundation Scholarship and the Community Foundation in supporting my education. I am majoring in mechanical engineering with a concentration in aerospace engineering at the Rose-Hulman Institue of Technology. In my spare time, I volunteer on campus, in the community and I’m also the principal violist in the symphony orchestra. I hope to make an impact on the next chapter of space exploration by eventually working at a groundbreaking aerospace company such as SpaceX or NASA.

Taytum Newell

Albert M. Zari Scholarship Recipient

Grant funds from the Community Foundation helped provide updated technology. These upgrades were transformative. By creating new time saving processes, it turned us into a more efficient organization.

Marie Wilkinson Food Pantry

Grantee

Being a part of the Community Foundation scholarship committee is the highlight of my year. For many, a scholarship from the CFFRV is the reason they are able to continue reaching for their dreams and changing the future of our world. I hope each recipients knows just how inspirational they are to those of us who are lucky enough to read their stories.

Jessica Breugelmans

Scholarship Committee Member and Board Member

Give your gift of time and see what it means to the people you impact. Helping others is what life is all about.

Neal Ormond

Donor & Fund Advisor

Community Foundation of the Fox River Valley

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