Community Foundation’s Cashour Fund Supports Carson Scholars

May 7, 2007:  On April 22, 2007, four Frederick County students were recognized by the Carson Scholars Fund for outstanding commitment to their community and to academic excellence. Monocacy Elementary School fifth grader Shelby Pittman, Yellow Springs Elementary School fifth grader Natalie Sanino, Governor Thomas Johnson High School ninth grader Julia Sell, and Frederick High School eleventh grader Rasshmi Shankar, will each receive a $1,000 scholarship to be invested toward their college education.

These scholarships from the Carson Scholars Fund were made available through a grant from The Julie Ann Robertson Cashour Memorial Fund at The Community Foundation of Frederick County which was made in recognition of president and co-founder Dr. Benjamin Carson’s work in neurological services. The Carson Scholars Fund acknowledges and rewards students in grades 4-11 who not only strive for academic excellence but also demonstrate a strong commitment to their community.

“We wholeheartedly support Dr. Carson's efforts to recognize students who are committed to both academic success and community involvement,” says Jeff Robertson, Julie Ann Robertson Cashour’s brother. “Knowing that this year's recipients include four Frederick County students, two of which are being educated within the very schools as my sister Julie years ago, is truly an honor to her memory.”

Julie Ann Robertson Cashour suffered from neurofibromatosis, a progressive genetic disorder of the nervous system that causes tumors to form on nerves anywhere in the body. When she passed away in 2000, her family wanted to honor her memory and turned to The Community Foundation to establish The Julie Ann Robertson Cashour Memorial Fund. The Fund gives preferences to providing grants to organizations serving individuals with neurofibromatosis or researching a cure for the disease, as well as those within the community coping with a terminal illness.

Contributions to The Julie Ann Robertson Cashour Memorial Fund are accepted at any time in any amount. Checks may be made payable to The Community Foundation of Frederick County, 312 East Church Street, Frederick, MD 21701, with “The Julie Ann Robertson Cashour Memorial Fund” inserted in the check’s memo line. To donate online, click here. All check or online contributions are tax-deductible to the fullest extent of the law.