Villa Voice Summer 2019 VillaVoice Summer 2019 | Page 15

HIGHLIGHTS & HAPPENINGS
Tuition Assistance Fund Grows at Villabration
During 2019’s Villabration, past Villa parent Kent Wellington shared his experience
during a challenging and tragic time in his family’s life. Kent’s wife Karen had battled
breast cancer throughout their children’s time at the Villa and passed away when Robby
(SUV ’09) and Angeline (SUV ’11) were in the 6 th and 4 th grades.
Kent recalled how our St. Ursula Villa community was a constant positive and uplifting
presence during that extremely difficult time. Robby and Angeline loved their time at the
Villa and each had an excellent scholastic experience while also being involved in Villa
sports and activities. He spoke of the incredible support their entire family received from
the Villa community during Karen’s illness and subsequent death at age 40.
The last few years of Karen’s disease brought costs related to her cancer that were not
covered by insurance and became financially challenging. “We had to get really creative,”
recalled Kent. “The beauty of the emergency fund at the Villa is things [are] done
holistically and quietly to make sure more and more of us have an opportunity to send our
kids to the Villa. If I had pulled [our] two kids out of the Villa the year after their mother
passed away, things could have been different - very, very different.”
Reminding us all how St. Ursula Villa teaches children to honor their faith, focus on God,
and focus on others, Kent noted that The Villa Family Emergency Tuition Assistance Fund is
there for St. Ursula Villa families, now and in the future, who may be facing hard times and
ensures they will never have to make the difficult decision to leave the Villa in times of crisis.
The Villa is extremely grateful to the many families who raised their paddle on auction
night and generated over $75,000 in the fund to help St. Ursula Villa families facing a
temporary, unexpected crisis. The Villa’s long-term goal is to raise an additional $30,000
to help endow The Villa Family Emergency Tuition Assistance Fund and ensure that
these resources remain in perpetuity.
Karen and Kent Wellington with Angeline
’11 and Robby ’09.
“The beauty of the
emergency fund at
the Villa is things are
done holistically and
quietly to make sure
more and more of us
have an opportunity
to send our kids to
the Villa.”
KENT WELLINGTON
Interested supporters can donate to this fund at www.stursulavilla.org/donate.
Kent Wellington, joined by Robby Wellington ’09, explained the importance of the Villa Family Emergency Tuition
Assistance Fund to families who experienced crises similar to their own.
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