Tara Doman, youth minister at Blessed Teresa Parish, Collingswood, stands with the first two recipients of the Kevin Connor Youth Scholarship Award, Tyler Heyser, left, who will be attending the University of Scranton, Scranton, Pa., and Michael John Planich, who will be attending Arcadia University, Glenside, Pa.
The scholarships, $1,000 each, are awarded to members of the parish youth group who have distinguished themselves in community service and social justice.
Kevin Connor — who died a year ago, on May 27, 2010, at the age of 59 — was a Haddon Township resident who served as director of the parish youth ministry program. He was also a former hospital CFO who spent the last 10 years of his life working for the Diocese of Camden, first as director of development for Catholic Charities, and later as director of Lay Ministry Formation. Among the projects he was involved with was the Project One effort to send donations and volunteers to New Orleans after Hurricane Katrina hit in 2005.
At the time of his death, the family requested donations for the Youth Ministry Scholarship Fund, which is administered by the Community Foundation of South Jersey, P.O. Box 446, Haddonfield, NJ 08033.