Harry H. and Floy B. Chapin Scholarship
Supporting students who support small businesses in downtown Durand.
Eligibility Criteria
Applicants must:
- Be a graduating senior at Durand, Dakota, or Pecatonica, or Brodhead (WI) High School.
- Rank in top 15% of graduating class.
- Frequent businesses in downtown Durand, IL.
Written Prompt
Each CFNIL scholarship is created with a specific purpose in mind. As you complete the application, the system automatically matches you with every scholarship for which you are eligible and will present you with a specific written prompt for each. You're encouraged to craft a unique response to each prompt to show the reviewers why you're the best candidate for that scholarship.
Scholarship Background and Intent
The Harry H. and Floy B. Chapin Scholarship Fund was initially established by Floy B. Chapin in 1977 in memory of her husband Harry H. Chapin. Floy added additional funds to the scholarship when she passed away in 1994.
Floy, an astute businesswoman and civic leader in Durand, believed in her life's philosophy: ""You can't wait for everything to be just right to make a move; that moment never comes. Act when you are ready, not when the situation is."" In 1931, the Chapins purchased their business from J. M. Geary. Half of their business was a furniture store and the other half was an office and casket selection room. In 1937, they built a new funeral home. Following her husband's sudden death in 1947, Floy continued the business at the request of many Durand citizens. Between 1952 and 1956, she was a business partner of Collins Y. Sundeberg (Sundeberg-Chapin Funeral Home) in Rockford. In the early 1950s, Floy promoted the Businessmen's Association. She was instrumental in opening a bank in 1957 in Durand and she co-sponsored the pharmacy building in Medina Manor Nursing Home.
Because of her generosity, many graduating high school seniors have had the opportunity to fulfill one of her favorite proverbs: ""Life is like reading a book. You never forget the chapters you've read but there are always new pages to get to.
Would you like to support the Harry H. and Floy B. Chapin Scholarship? You can make a donation directly to this fund, to help grow its impact and ability to provide educational resources for students in our community — forever!
