LAKEWOOD RANCH (Wednesday, July 12, 2023) – Michael and Katie Emmons lately named the thirteenth scholarship recipient of the Taylor Emmons Scholarship Fund, which can pay for a scholar’s four-year tuition prices at The Out-of-Door Academy’s Higher College.
To assist make this scholarship doable, The Out-of-Door Academy hosts an annual Taylor Emmons Memorial Traditional. Neal Communities, the area’s largest non-public homebuilder, has been a $5,000 sponsor of the annual baseball recreation for the final three years and has donated a complete of $15,000 to the fund.
“We’re proud to help this program and assist to offer a scholar with a high quality schooling at The Out-of-Door Academy,” mentioned Pat Neal, founder and CEO of Neal Communities.
The Taylor Emmons Scholarship Fund supplies alternatives for socio-economically numerous college students to expertise an unbiased, school preparatory schooling at The Out-of-Door Academy’s Higher College. They study in an surroundings that encourages college students to realize their highest tutorial objectives and construct character by a balanced program of lecturers.
For Michael and Katie Emmons, every of the 13 college students even have turn into prolonged members of their household. “My husband and I communicate with all of them,” Katie Emmons mentioned. “These children are actually particular.”
The entire scholarship recipients have stayed in shut contact with the Emmons household, she mentioned. Twice a 12 months, the recipients collect for a household dinner at an area restaurant. The Emmons even have attended highschool commencement ceremonies for the scholars through the years. “All of them have their very own textual content chain and keep in contact. It’s actually particular,” she mentioned. She mentioned she is certain their latest recipient will likely be welcomed as a freshman by the higher classmen who additionally obtained the scholarship as soon as college begins.
The 2023 Taylor Emmons Memorial Traditional came about on April 13 on the Taylor Emmons Memorial Baseball Discipline at Dietrich Household Baseball Advanced between The Out-of-Door Academy and Venice Excessive College. The Out-of-Door Academy gained 4-2. A complete of $8,500 was raised this 12 months.
Katie Emmons mentioned the homebuilder’s help offsets a lot of the prices to host the annual recreation, permitting the remainder of the proceeds to fund future scholarships. “We in all probability couldn’t do that with out Neal Communities. We’re so grateful for his or her continued help,” she mentioned.
The Taylor Emmons Scholarship Fund was initially created in honor of Michael and Katie Emmons’ son, Taylor Emmons, a 2009 graduate who performed on Out-of-Door Academy’s baseball staff. Taylor was fatally hit by a automobile in December 2010. Katie mentioned that, following the tragedy, the household requested for donations in lieu of flowers. A complete of $150,000 in donations was raised. She mentioned that Taylor really loved his time at The Out-of-Door Academy, together with his time on the baseball subject. With that in thoughts, the household determined the easiest way to make use of the funds was to help native college students who wished to attend the non-public college who in any other case couldn’t.
“We’re very grateful and appreciative for Neal Communities’ help,” Katie Emmons mentioned. “It means quite a bit to us.”
About Neal Communities
Neal Communities, primarily based in Lakewood Ranch, Florida, is Southwest Florida’s largest and most established regionally owned and operated non-public builder. Through the firm’s 50-year historical past, it has constructed greater than 20,000 new properties in additional than 90 acclaimed communities from Tampa to Naples. The corporate persistently ranks among the many nation’s high 100 residence builders and has earned quite a few awards together with the distinguished Builder of the 12 months from Skilled Builder in 2015 and America’s Finest Builder in 2012 from BUILDER Journal. With a core perception that “The place You Reside Issues,” Neal Communities has given greater than $7.75 million to native charities all through Southwest Florida and is dedicated to the communities the place they dwell, work and construct. Firm gross sales in fiscal 12 months 2022 had been simply over $600 million.
Extra Neal Communities manufacturers embody Neal Signature Houses, Charlene Neal PureStyle, Waterscapes Swimming pools & Spas, Neal Communities Funding and Allegiant Title Professionals. For extra info, go to NealCommunities.com.
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