The anonymous donor who established the Rebekah Love Family Scholarship at the Cattaraugus Region Community Foundation has announced a campaign to match up to $5,000 in donations to the scholarship fund.

Donations will be matched through Sept. 1. The goal of the campaign is to raise an additional $10,000 for the scholarship fund, so the award amount can grow in future years.

The scholarship fund is a tribute to the donor’s former Kindergarten teacher, Rebekah Love.

At the age of 17, Love was diagnosed with Multiple Sclerosis (MS). Even with this diagnosis, Love went on to teach for 16 years at Ten Broeck Academy/Franklinville Central School District before having to retire due to her illness.

The enduring impact left by Love on the school spurred the anonymous donor to invest in a tribute that will stand as a lasting testament to Love’s influence on her students. 

The Rebekah Love Family Scholarship, which will be making its first award this year, is for a graduating student of Ten Broeck Academy/Franklinville Central School who has demonstrated academic success and is pursuing a post-secondary degree. Preference will be given to students pursuing a degree in an education- or nursing-related field of study.

Preference will also be given to students who, like Love, have faced adversity and persevered with a positive attitude.

Franklinville students can apply for this scholarship, as well as all other CRCF-managed scholarships, until the March 20 deadline at cattfoundation.org/apply-for-scholarships.

Rebekah and her husband, Robert Love, have been married for 52 years. Together they have two children and four grandchildren.

Donations can be made to the Rebekah Love Family Scholarship Fund at the Cattaraugus Region Community Foundation, 301 North Union St., Suite 203, Olean, NY 14760 or online at cattfoundation.org.

The Cattaraugus Region Community Foundation is the area’s supportive, responsive, and trusted community foundation. Established in 1994, CRCF is growing good by connecting donors to the causes they care about most in the region. Grants from the foundation support many areas, including education, scholarships, health care, the arts, community development, human service, and youth development. To learn more, call (716) 301-CRCF (2723), email [email protected], or visit online at www.cattfoundation.org. CRCF is also on Facebook (facebook.com/cattfoundation) and Twitter (@CattFoundation).