Consider making a charitable gift to the Western Foundation and help a student "reach their goals and dreams."
"We wanted students to have financial access and motivation to continue their education. There was so little chance for scholarships in vocational schools that we felt the students needed something."
Bill Welch Sr.
Making a Difference
A legacy of giving runs deep in the Welch family. Three generations of Welches are now actively involved with the Western Foundation.And while their methods of giving are different, their reason for giving is the same: They want to help students.
Bill Welch, Sr., founder of the Electronics program at Western, began his relationship with the Foundation more than 25 years ago when he established the Katherine Welch Scholarship in honor of his mother.This yearly scholarship was just the beginning. Eventually, his wife established a scholarship in his name that honored him and the legacy he left at the college. He, in turn, established the Funk Family Scholarship to honor his wife's family. Her uncle was the college's first board president and a major supporter of the institution, serving as the board chair for 13 years. And to complete the family circle,he changed the Katherine Welch Scholarship to the Charles and Katherine Welch Scholarship to honor both of his parents. All of the scholarships are now endowed.
So why would this former instructor choose to give? "We wanted students to have financial access and motivation to continue their education,"says Bill,Sr."There was so little chance for scholarships in vocational schools that we felt the students needed something." It also was a way to recognize the workplace that had given him so much."The 25 years I spent here were the best 25 years of my life," he says.
Bill Welch, Jr., also, sees firsthand the need our students have, how important scholarships are, and how much good they can provide. In addition to his role as an Electronics instructor, he is part of the scholarship evaluation committee, which means he sees many of the applications for scholarships. "Some of our students have a real need,"says Bill,Jr."It is really touching to see the kinds of challenges they face. It's the idea that they really do need help and encouragement to get through their program."
To that end, he and his wife, Cathy, have established an endowed scholarship in their and their son's name."We really wanted to do something that would help students," says Bill,Jr."I am a firm believer in vocational/technical education,"he says."Western is where I got my start and my direction. I knew I wanted to go into electronics, but I didn't have direction. I got that here.
They also wanted to leave something behind other than the students who've graduated from his program. Plus, he says, the timing of the scholarship couldn't have been better; they took advantage of matching funds that were available, enabling them to help even more students.
With role models like his dad and grandpa, it seems unlikely that Will Welch would have chosen any other path.And while he is still only a high school student,Will has found a way to give. He has volunteered at Camp W for the past two years, helping Warren Pickar and the All Tied Up class,making rope and tying knots."I attended Camp W for three years and had so much fun," says Will. "I like seeing the kids be happy that they're here."
With the emphasis on family and giving, the Welch's are well-suited to be part of the Western Foundation family. And while their methods of giving are different, the thread of the conversations was always the same.They want to help students.
