DAR preparing Strawberries for Scholarships during Valentine’s Week on Feb 12
Article by Bonnie Briscoe, DAR member
The week of Valentine’s Day is rapidly approaching, and the Gila Valley Chapter of the Daughters of the American Revolution (DAR), is gearing up for their annual “Strawberries for Scholarships and Student Awards” fundraiser.
This will be the third year that the students in the Culinary Arts Department at Mount Graham High School will be helping the DAR to create plates of assorted chocolate covered strawberries under the supervision of their teacher, Mrs. Sheila Pompeo.
In the past, the DAR chapter has offered these strawberries on Valentine’s Day. However, with Valentine’s Day being on Saturday and school not being in session, orders will be ready for pick up two days before Valentine’s on Thursday, Feb 12 .
The chapter is currently taking orders for their plates of freshly dipped, assorted chocolate-covered strawberries. The cutoff date for accepting orders is Feb 4 at 6:00 PM. DAR recommends texting or calling before the cutoff date in case supplies run out due to demand. To place an order: text or call 928-322-1338 and give your name, phone number and number of plate-size desired or contact someone you know in the DAR chapter to take your order.
The assorted toppings will include: 1 Dark Chocolate, 1 White Chocolate, 1 Dark Chocolate coated with Pecans, 1 White Chocolate coated with Pecans, 1 White Chocolate with Milk Chocolate swizzles and 1 Milk Chocolate with White Chocolate swizzles. The dozen plate at $20 will include two of each topping and a half-dozen plate at $10 will have one of each topping.
In addition to helping with the strawberries, Mount Graham High School will be the pickup location from 3:30 PM – 6:30 PM. The school is east of the Safford Cemetery at 300 W. Discovery Park Blvd in Safford. Payment is due on the pickup day only in the form of either cash or check.
The money raised from these sales goes toward providing scholarships to local high school students in Graham County who are dual-enrolled in general education classes at EAC and submit a winning essay in the chapter’s Patriotic Essay Contest. With this fundraiser being successful every year, the DAR chapter offers four scholarships valued at $600, $500, $400 and $300 to help with tuition and books.
The funds also go toward student awards, giving a monetary gift of $50 in May to one senior from each of the seven high schools in Graham and Greenlee counties who is chosen by the school for the DAR Good Citizen Award.
With students submitting essays and high schools choosing good citizens, this has always been strong encouragement for the chapter to continue this Valentine’s Week tradition; “Strawberries for Scholarships and Student Awards!”
