Welcome to the Richard Miles Decker Memorial Scholarship Funds, a scholarship program established to provide the Falcon Camp experience to children who would most benefit from attending resident camp, but whose families may lack the financial means for them to do so.
The Decker Funds is a 501(c)(3) charitable organization, and donations are tax deductible to the extent allowed by law.
The Richard Miles Decker Memorial Scholarship Funds was founded soon after cancer ended Rich’s life in 1983. The scholarship was established by the Decker family because of its appreciation of how Rich’s experiences at Falcon Camp as a camper in the 1960s and a counselor in the early 1970s contributed in such a meaningful and important way to his growth and development as a person.
The Decker family felt that a scholarship endowment providing tuition assistance to children who might not otherwise be able to attend would serve as an appropriate, living memorial to Rich, and a tribute to the happy days that he enjoyed at Falcon Camp.
The scholarship program is administered by a volunteer board of trustees, all of whom are former Falcon campers or counselors. They maintain longtime affiliations with Falcon Camp, and are devoted to the program’s development and success.
Assets of the Decker Scholarship Funds are used only to provide scholarships for these deserving children, and are not utilized for the camp’s capital expenses or ordinary operations. Contributions are invested in a balanced portfolio of mutual funds. The current endowment has enabled the Decker Funds to award nearly 100 scholarships since 1985, each to a child whom the trustees felt would benefit and grow from the Falcon Experience.
Current trustees of the Decker Funds are:
R. Bruce Buzza ’70
Terri “Tree” Eaborn ’74
Fred M. Fargotstein ’73
Emeriti trustees of the Decker Funds are:
Steven B. Shechter ’59
Jon C. Volkwein ’66
Charles A. Beringer ’66
The applicant must fill out the form linked here. You will be asked to provide some basic information, as well as two letters: one from the applicant stating why a scholarship and camp experience would be beneficial; and one from the applicant’s parent/guardian stating why he or she feels that the child should receive a scholarship. Financial need may be mentioned here, but this will not be the sole determining factor.
Letters of reference from teachers, coaches, and other mentors are highly recommended. Please direct references to fill out the link here.
April 1 is the annual application deadline.
Scholarships are awarded by a majority vote of the trustees, with the approval of the director of Falcon Camp. The trustees may elect to award no scholarships in any given year.
When recipients are notified, they will receive information about completing the next steps, which will include filling out a standard camp application.
At the conclusion of the session attended, each scholarship recipient must submit a letter to the trustees describing his or her experience at Falcon Camp. The trustees may share copies of this letter with the Decker family and other contributors.
IMPORTANT FORMS:
Application
Reference form
The Decker family, the trustees, and the friends of Falcon Camp join in seeking additional donations to speed the growth of this endowment. Because administrative and mailing expenses are paid independently by the trustees, 100% of your contribution goes directly to the endowment in order to benefit the children sponsored by the scholarships. We appreciate your generous contribution so that the Decker Scholarship Funds may continue to provide young people with the rich and meaningful experience of camp life.
Please make your check payable to The Decker Scholarship Funds, and mail it to:
Decker Memorial Scholarship Funds
424 Kings Highway
Carnegie, PA 15106
You can also make a donation online by continuing here:
Thank you!
The Richard Miles Decker Memorial Scholarship Funds is a 501(c)(3) charitable organization under IRS regulations; the tax identification number is 34-1750518. Your gift is tax-deductible to the extent allowed by law.
If you have any questions regarding an application or a donation, please feel free to contact us at info@deckerscholarshipfunds.org
or
Decker Memorial Scholarship Funds
424 Kings Highway
Carnegie, PA 15106
If you have questions relating specifically to Falcon Camp, please direct inquiries to info@falconcamp.com or see their website.
