Fashion Event raises $4,000 for civic-minded GLCF’s LHS scholarship
Lowell, Mass. – The Greater Lowell Community Foundation announced that $4,000 was raised at a Fall Fashion Show to benefit the Maria Olimpia Meza ‘MOM’ Scholarship Fund to support Lowell High School seniors further their education. The fund was established with GLCF in 2020 by Maria Vejar, who wanted to honor her Mother who held strong values in family, education and community service. Along with financial need, students being considered for the scholarship must be actively involved with community service.
A single mother of four children, Maria Olimpia Meza came to the United States in 1975 from Ecuador where she worked as a top female postmaster. “My Mother left a very prestigious position to come to the United States. She gave up her success in Ecuador so her daughters could fulfill their own success here,” said Maria Vejar.
Vejar made good on her Mother’s wish. The first in her family to graduate college, she earned a Doctorate in Urban Leadership in Education from Cambridge College. The final 26 years of her long career in education was as a teacher and House Dean at Lowell High School (LHS). Many in downtown Lowell know of Maria Vejar for her infectious personality and for her passion for giving back to the Lowell community.
After teaching, Vejar opened Galeria De Los Andes Boutique in downtown Lowell and became actively involved in the Downtown Business Association. She hosted a 2024 Fall Fashion Show to celebrate the 10-year anniversary of the boutique and to increase funds for the MOM scholarship. The show featured 30 community leaders wearing styles from their own culture, along with current fashions from the boutique. The event raised $4,000 to help support LHS seniors who are active in serving the local community. The annual LHS Awards Nights is held each May.
The Greater Lowell Community Foundation (GLCF) provides opportunities for donors to create a fund and establish a lasting charitable legacy. To learn more about these empowering opportunities at GLCF, contact Jay Linnehan or to learn more about creating your own LHS Legacy Scholarship, contact Barbara Dunsford at 978-970-1600 or info@glcfoundation.org.
About Greater Lowell Community Foundation
Established in 1997, the Greater Lowell Community Foundation (GLCF) is a philanthropic organization comprised of more than 450 funds dedicated to improving the quality of life in 21 neighboring cities and towns. With financial assets of nearly $70 million, GLCF annually awards grants and scholarships to hundreds of worthy nonprofits and students. It is powered by the winning combination of donor-directed giving, personal attention from Foundation staff, and an in-depth understanding of local needs. The generosity of our donors has enabled the Community Foundation to award more than $40 million to the Greater Lowell community.
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Caption One: Maria Vejar, right, arrives in the United State in 1975 from Ecuador with her Mother, Maria Olimpia Meza, the inspiration for the ‘Mom’ Scholarship for Lowell High Seniors.
Caption Two: Maria Vejar hosted a 2024 Fall Fashion Show to celebrate the 10-year anniversary of her downtown Lowell boutique and to increase funds for the MOM scholarship. The show featured 30 community leaders wearing styles from their own culture, along with current fashions from the boutique. Community leaders Vanna Howard and Bopha Boutselis on the runway.
