Skaggs Foundation Meeting

Skip Schmiett Photography

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Periodically, the Vivian Skaggs Armstrong Foundation for Roman Catholic and Community Charities board of directors, which supports our Catholic schools, meets to review the foundation’s financial standing and to determine the distribution amounts for the year.  We had such a meeting this past week and once again I left with profound gratitude to the Skaggs family for their incredible generosity to our diocese.  Mr. and Mrs. Sam Skaggs started the foundation in honor of Mr. Skagg’s mother, Vivian Skaggs Armstrong. All four of the Skaggs children: Susie Balukoff, Don L. Skaggs, Mark S. Skaggs and Claudia Luttrell, sit on the board and take a very active role in it.  Along with the other board members from various parts of our diocese, mostly in education or parish work, they oversee and manage these valuable funds that are used to provide scholarships for needy students in our schools. The fund is valued at around $20 million. Annually, it distributes approximately $700,000 in scholarships so that students from needy families can attend Catholic schools. The fund also supports major facilities needs at the Skaggs Catholic Center in Draper.

Daughters of Charity Sister Stella Marie Zahner works closely with the children who receive the scholarship assistance. She goes over each and every application and then works with those students who receive grants in order to keep them on track academically. Her love and concern for these students is truly laudable. She knows them all and spends quite a bit of time with each of them. In addition, at every meeting Sister reads to us from some of the letters she receives from the children, in which they express their gratitude to the Skaggs family and to the board. Some of the letters are real “tear jerkers!” These children work very hard in their studies, which is a sign of their gratitude for the help they receive toward their tuition. 

Please join me in praying for the Skaggs family, especially Sam and Aline, asking God to bless them for starting this generous fund that has helped so many students over the years.  Our continued thanks also go to Susie, Don, Mark and Claudia for their ongoing commitment to this important endowment in our diocese.