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Connie Burns Scholarship
Connie Burns Scholarship Fund
The sudden and unexpected loss or our dear friend and colleague in the summer of 2012 ignited the need to honor and remember her great work in, and passion for, our industry. With that in mind, several began the process of creating an ongoing scholarship fund for college and university students interested in entering the recycling field as a career path. Great appreciation goes to the board of SWANA Georgia Chapter for their guidance and generosity in seeding the fund with a $2500 donation to GRC. And, we owe SP Recycling a shout out for developing and funding a boa sale at the annual conference, raising an additional $790. Additional donations were received from GRC members so the scholarship fund is growing.
Connie had been a GRC member for several years and was renowned for her spirit, love of life and adventure, and for occasionally outbidding many for items she loved at the annual Trash to Treasures auction! We honored her this year at the conference with a tribute, “Celebration of a Life Well-Lived” and with wearing boas during the conference—she was well known for her green/gold and red/black boas as a buoyant Green Bay Packers and UGA Dawg fan! Not to mention her donning a boa and tiara to show up at events as the “trash queen”. She enlightened, educated and elevated her community and our industry.
Connie was active in SWANA, serving as the director of the group's communication, education and marketing division. That role just scratched the surface of all the volunteer work she did in the Effingham County community, including serving as director of Keep Effingham Beautiful and coordinator for Rivers Alive Effingham. She was also on the Governor's Task Force on Litter Abatement and Prevention and the advisory board for the Effingham United Way
Plans are in the works with an ad hoc committee to develop the scholarship parameters and application toward making our first awards in 2013. If you’d like to make a donation to the scholarship fund, please send a check payable to GRC P.O. Box 550667 Atlanta, GA 30355 and note Connie Burns Scholarship in the comment line or include a note indicating your donation to the fund.
Link to Power Point: Celebration of a Life Well Lived
