November 17, 2020

Fairport-Perinton Dollars for Scholars Renames Annual Award to Honor Long-Serving Volunteer Donna Yawman

                                  

Photo: November 17, 2020. Left to right: Angie Kettell, President, Fairport-Perinton Dollars for Scholars, presents the new Donna Yawman Honor Award to Donna Yawman's husband Phil and son Phil, Jr.

On November 17, 2020, the Fairport-Perinton Dollars for Scholars Chapter paid tribute to one of its most dedicated and longest-serving members, the late Donna Yawman.

Each year the DFS board of directors presents the Dollars for Scholars Honor Award to an individual who has made a significant contribution to the program. This year the Chapter paid special tribute to one of their own by presenting the award to Donna Yawman posthumously and renaming it the Donna Yawman Honor Award.

Donna joined the DFS board in 1994 and immediately began to redefine the Scholarship Selection process. Just two years later she was elected Chapter president. During her presidency, the first Phone-a-thon was created to reach out to the Fairport community for the funding of college scholarships for area seniors.  After her tenure, she focused on the Scholarship Committee, serving as chair and co-chair from the late 1990's until her passing in June 2019. Under her watch, the number of Fairport students who received financial "recognition" for their academic and personal achievements grew from six $1000 DFS Chapter scholarship recipients in 1990 to 72 award winners totaling $63,180.

Donna served on the Fairport-Perinton Dollars for Scholars board for 25 years. She lived a life rooted in family values, giving back to the community, creating opportunities for young people, and working toward a higher quality of life in Fairport. She was genuinely loved, admired, and respected by all those who knew her.