The Oscar Brothers Memorial Scholarship Fund

BACKGROUND

The Gamber and Community Fire Company in cooperation with the Oscar Brothers family will once again be offering a four-year college scholarship to a student who lives within the primary area serviced by the fire company. This scholarship will officially be known as the Oscar Brothers Memorial Scholarship Fund.

The Brothers family has been in residence in the Gamber community for over 200 years and Oscar's family has resided near the firehouse since 1944. Oscar was always very active in community affairs. He was one of the driving forces in getting the fire company established in the early 1960's and served as the fire company's first President more than 50 years ago. Gamber has always been a close knit, family oriented, community, and that was one of the driving reasons for establishing this scholarship.

Oscar and Virginia were fortunate to have four sons. Though they are all grown adults, spread up and down the east coast, living their individual lives, they will always share several very strong bonds. They share strong family values, were raised to be responsible adults, and they respect other people. Maybe most important of all, the fabric of small-town America is tightly woven into their values and personalities that can never be denied.

As is the case with most communities, the day will come when The Brothers family will disappear from the fabric of the Gamber community. This scholarship is our family's way of giving back to the Gamber community with a program that will live forever and ensure that other young people growing up in the area have the opportunity to better themselves and maybe someday reward the community in a similar way.

We truly hope that proper funding of the scholarship program will ensure it lives in perpetuity and in the long term can provide other value to the community as well.

SCHOLARSHIP STRUCTURE AND GUIDELINES

Four-year Scholarship: Up to $6,000 1st year; Up to $3,000 2nd through 4th year; Maintaining honors can earn recipients an extra $750 per semester when submitted with the appropriate documentation for potential total of $21,000.

Eligibility: Students applying must have their primary residence within the "first due" geographical area serviced by the Gamber and Community Fire Company.

Financial need will be a primary consideration for recipients. Applicants must provide the most recent two years of total family income in the form of IRS tax return transcripts, which can be found here: https://www.irs.gov/individuals/get-transcript (log in or sign up for an account and select the Higher Education/Student Aid Return Transcript).

Additional factors that the applicants will be judged on include: an essay addressing one of the committee’s proposed topics, community service, high-school grades, extra-curricular activities, a letter of recommendation, and standardized test scores.

Students from Westminster High and Liberty High as well as any student from any other non-public or "home school" are eligible if their primary residence is within the "first-due" geographical area serviced by the Gamber and Community Fire Co. Proof of residence may be required.

A minimum course load of 12 credit hours is required. Students must maintain a 2.5 grade point average in order to remain eligible for funding each semester for the entire four years. Students attending two-year programs are also eligible and must maintain a 2.5 grade point average as well to remain eligible. Student must perform 40 hours of community service during each year of eligibility preferably within the Gamber & Community Fire Company service area.

Applications must be received no later than April 15 in order to be eligible to receive consideration for scholarship funding annually.

The Oscar Brothers family and the Gamber & Community Fire Company assume responsibility for all costs and expenses of the scholarship and for the management and operation of the program. The family and the fire company reserve the right to accept or decline any or all applicants, and selection and decisions are final.

Applications available from attachment below. Applications and additional information also available from the following:

cmyers@gambervfd.org

OR

Gamber & Community Fire Co.
Scholarship Committee
3838 Niner Rd.
Finksburg, MD 21048-2102

DEADLINE – April 15, 2023