Scholarship Created to Honor Helen Cunningham

The Corydon Democrat

Wednesday, February 25, 2004

A new endowment fund has been created in the Harrison County Community Foundation to honor Helen Cunningham of Elizabeth. The income from the fund will provide scholarship support to graduating seniors of South Central Junior-Senior High School who have been actively involved in community service.

The Helen J. Cunningham Community Service Scholarship has been started to recognize the volunteer efforts of an Elizabeth resident. Helen Johnson Cunningham, a 1940 graduate of Elizabeth High School, has been active in a wide variety of community service projects throughout her life. Since her retirement from Colgate Palmolive in 1983, she has spent countless hours volunteering in Harrison County. Her volunteer efforts have included helping at Corydon Central High School, South Central Junior-Senior High School, South Central Elementary School and Harrison County Hospital. In addition to these efforts, she volunteered for 20 years in the office of the Harrison County Parks Dept. from 1983-2003.

Helen Cunningham has served on the board of the Harrison County RSVP and the Retired Senior Volunteer Program for more than a decade. She also has served as a member of the Harrison County Mental Health Organization advisory board, a director of the South Central Recreation Club and secretary-treasurer of the Posey Township Farm Bureau.

The scholarship was initiated by her children, Carol Ann Cunningham of Burke, Va., and Tom Cunningham of New Salisbury, in recognition of her 80th birthday. They wanted to honor their mother¹s service and dedication to the community with a gift that would commemorate her life-long contributions. It is their hope that her example will inspire students at South Central Junior-Senior High School to give back to their community and demonstrate that this type of service can be rewarding.

This is the first scholarship through the Harrison County Community Foundation designated for a student at South Central Junior- Senior High School. The family is making plans for the first scholarship to be awarded to a graduating senior pursuing a four-year college degree in May 2005.

To make a contribution to the Helen J. Cunningham Scholarship Fund, contact the Community Foundation at 738-6668.