LET'S KEEP IN TOUCH: Welcome to the TSF Newsletter!
Welcome! There is lots going on at TSF and we want to keep you up to date on all the happenings including scholarships, events, student directors, and our permanent funds.
The 2022 Merit Award winners were announced in May for the Boston College Academic Achievement Award, the Rhudine Johnson Unsung Hero Award, the Dan Blanchard History & Athletics Award, and the Bill Spaulding Merit Award.
279 local students of all ages. This brings the total disbursement since 1960 to an incredible $15.5 Million! TSF is proud to have aided over 12,500 students.
June Breakfast Honors Student Directors and Community Award Winners
The Annual Breakfast meeting held in June is an opportunity to thank the TSF student directors and to recognize our Community Recognition Award recipients.
This year's event, the first since 2019, was an engaging gathering of students, directors, and community members.
The 2022 Community Recognition Award was presented to the Wakefield Item Company. Also recognized were 2021 winner Bob Sardella of Sardella Sign & Graphics and 2020 winners Roseanne Phillips and Michael Rodman.
TSF is making a difference for student and families....
” I wish we had extra $$ to contribute…. what these colleges charge these students today and the loans they end up with is unbelievable. Keeps me and my husband up at night worrying about it. We all work so hard and these kids work so hard in school and …. graduate with huge loans and can never catch up. It just doesn’t make any sense at all to us but we are so very grateful we have TSF to help. Every bit helps!”
-TSF Recipient Parent
Spotlight on a Fund
While TSF’s mission is providing scholarship aid to local students, an equally important role we play is remembering and honoring many of our townspeople and local organizations. This is a role that is very meaningful to TSF. The stories behind each of our funds, including those of individuals who gave much to our town and those whose promise was not realized, are a key part of our success. To remember community members, both young and old, families, local groups and businesses in a positive and active way is a significant reason for our accomplishments since 1960 and our continued growth in aiding Wakefield students.
Dana William Leach Fund
The Dana William Leach Fund was established on December 17, 1991, by the Leach family 19 years after Dana’s disappearance at sea.
Born in 1948, Dana Leach was the son of Bill and Greta, brother of Roxanne, Kristin, Gretta, and Dirk, father of Dyan, and uncle of Megan Sayce. A 1966 graduate of Wakefield High, he played trumpet in the band and was an active member of DeMolay (a fraternal youth group for young men). He also served as an acolyte at Trinity Episcopal Church in Melrose.
Following graduation, Mr. Leach served in the U.S. Navy. He trained at the Great Lakes facility and served in Antarctica supporting the scientific expedition “Operation Deep Freeze.”
In December of 1972, shortly after his naval discharge, Mr. Leach joined his uncle, Frank Jordan, to sail a 44-foot ketch, The Silver Dawn, from its home port in Portsmouth, New Hampshire to Bermuda. Both men were experienced seamen but the two never reached their destination and were never heard from again.
The Coast Guard searched for the boat to no avail. At the time, possible scenarios included the ketch losing its mast due to foul weather, being caught in the Gulf Stream, and drifting into the North Sea. Also of concern was the weather on the second day of the voyage, which included high winds and 50 to 60-foot waves.
In 1974 wreckage from the sailboat was found 35 miles off Gloucester. The Leach family and contacts in the sailing world will forever ponder the fate of The Silver Dawn.
