The Board of Trustees of The Community Foundation of Frederick County announces The Mayor James F. Black Scholarship Fund.

Dennis E. Black, Ph.D., turned to the Community Foundation to establish this fund in memory of his father, who passed away in December 2003. The fund provides educational assistance for the town of Thurmont’s employees and their legal dependents, with preference given to full-time town employees who have been accepted to attend accredited college or technical courses that are directly related to their job responsibilities. Mayor Black served as mayor of Thurmont for 16 years.

"I wanted to honor my father’s many years of dedicated service to the citizens of the town of Thurmont, and creating this fund in his name will allow others in the town that he so loved to pursue their education," shares Dr. Black. In addition to his commitment to Thurmont, Mayor Black was a member of the Frederick County Council of Governments for 16 years, including serving as president for three years. He also served for many years on the boards of the Frederick Citizens Nursing Home and the Catoctin Medical Center. Mayor Black received numerous awards in recognition of his community service.

The Community Foundation makes charitable dreams come true by working with individuals, such as Dr. Black, to establish funds to support charitable causes throughout Frederick County, such as the awarding of scholarships to students meeting a wide range of different criteria specified by each fund’s founding donor and approved by the Community Foundation’s Board of Trustees. Since its founding in 1986, the Community Foundation has awarded more than $12 million in grants and scholarships and currently holds over 520 charitable funds. Over one-fourth of the funds managed by the Community Foundation honor the memory of deceased loved ones as with The Mayor James F. Black Scholarship Fund. To learn more about the Community Foundation, including how to start a fund, visit the web site at www.cffredco.org or call 301.695.7660.

Tax-deductible contributions to The Mayor James F. Black Scholarship Fund are accepted at any time in any amount. Checks may be made payable to The Community Foundation of Frederick County and sent to 312 East Church Street, Frederick, Maryland, 21701. Insert "Mayor James Black" in the check’s memo line. Donations are also accepted online using Visa or MasterCard through the Community Foundation’s web site at www.cffredco.org by clicking on "Contribute" in the upper right-hand corner.