The “Papas” of the Hemingway Look-Alike Society (HLAS) kicked-off the festivities of the famous Hemingway Look-Alike Contest by presenting $31,500 in scholarships to students attending The College of the Florida Keys (CFK) on the stage of Sloppy Joe’s on July 18. HLAS Scholarship Chair and “Papa 2013” Stephen Terry announced a total of 13 CFK scholarships-- four to students with literary talent, six to nursing students, one to a student training to become a first responder, one to a veteran, and one to a CFK-bound Key West High School graduate. This year, they increased awards from $1,500 for the fall semester to $2,500, split evenly between the fall and spring semesters.

 

The HLAS established the CFK scholarship 25 years ago with the purpose of encouraging education and literary talent in the community where the legendary writer called home in the 1930s and produced some of his most enduring literary works. The scholarship was later opened to nursing students and then to veterans and first responders last year. To date, they have awarded more than 300 scholarships and built an endowment to fund future scholarships for many years to come.

 

Throughout the year, the “Papas” and “Mamas” of the HLAS fundraise and collect donations at various events held during the Hemingway Days celebration to support the group’s ongoing philanthropic commitment to CFK students.