“a gift is most precious, when given under no obligation and received without any expectation"

Purpose

The Scott-Free Scholarship Foundation is a 501(c)(3) organization that serves at risk children by offering scholarships for summer camp programs that offer sports, technology, theater, music, science, the arts, and education. Each summer, recipients receive full or partial scholarships that enable them to explore and discover the extent of their talents, abilities, and dreams.

How Campers are Selected

There exists a spectrum on which no two children or family’s needs are the same. Each applicant’s challenges are unique and considered during review by the Scott-Free Scholarship Foundation.

Children and families are typically referred by teachers, principals, and counselors from participating North Carolina elementary and middle schools. Scott-Free also works with and receives camper recommendations from a number of local nonprofit organizations (SafeChild, The Boys Mentoring Program, Loaves and Fishes, Comfort Zone).

Recommended applicants must submit applications, which are then reviewed and approved based on a specific criterion which determines their eligibility for a Scott-Free Scholarship. Returning campers, who wish to be considered for summer camp in a subsequent year, are required to complete 3 specific requirements:

1. Compose a Camper Essay detailing their current summer camp experience
2. Perform a minimum of 4 hours community service
3. Compose a detailed Community Service Essay about their experience, and submit it along with a signed confirmation letter from the recipient by the designated date in order to be eligible for another summer camp scholarship consideration.

Scott-Free focuses on school-age children who exhibit a strong work ethic and a positive attitude, putting forth effort to help themselves, who would not have the opportunity to attend well-structured summer camps without the assistance of an organization such as Scott-Free.

Financial Support and Participation

Scott-Free operates entirely on tax-deductible donations from businesses, private individuals, and partnerships with camps in North Carolina, Virginia, and beyond. In addition, Scott-Free holds charitable fundraiser events in the Raleigh area for the community to celebrate progress.

Our Board Members

Deborrah Jeffreys Gruder
Founder & Executive Director

  • Even though the idea for Scott-Free was born out of the willingness and actions of one, its success is realized because of the enthusiasm and generosity of an entire community who stepped in to make sure that a child would know the fun, freedom and camaraderie of a summer camp adventure!

Beatriz Illanes Riehle
Board Member & CFO

  • Originally from NYC, Beatriz graduated from Adelphi University with a Business Management Degree concentrating on Finance. Her career years in NY encompassed being a NASDAQ Securities Trader and at TD Waterhouse and E*Trade as an Account Executive. She decided to take a break from her career to raise her children, and that eventually brought her to Raleigh, NC in November 2009. As career woman at heart, she still involved herself in several endeavors that helped her raise her children and still be involved in creating strategies that help small businesses in the local Raleigh area. This includes being a Director of a child care facility as well as managing a salon. She recently had returned to the Finacial Services Industry currently working at Wells Fargo. Beatriz started volunteering

    at The Scott-Free Scholarship Foundation soon after her arrival and since 2010, Beatriz has been engaged in many facets of the organization including business development, event planning, community outreach as well as spearheading the Latino Outreach Program that has enabled Scott-Free to further assist families in need.

    Her tireless volunteering to our organization has brought her to accept a board position in 2019. She brings her knowledge of working in small businesses, her strong commitment to helping the community and most importantly, her love of helping the children of Scott-Free.

Leigh Adams White
Founding Board Member

  • Leigh White is a native of Knightdale, North Carolina. Growing up, Leigh was a competitive soccer player and inline roller speed skater. Her love and drive for soccer enabled her to continue to play the sport at Belmont Abbey College and then NC State University.

Robin Oelrich
Board Member

  • Robin was born Dayton, Ohio. Growing up, Robin lived all over the world including Germany and Italy. Robin was a competitive soccer player until he received a knee injury that took him out of the sport. Robin still loves soccer and coaches both a boys and girls middle school team in

Ashir Gruder
Board Member

  • Ashir Gruder is the Executive Producer and Sr. Director of Media at Strayer Studios based in New York City. As a writer, producer, and showrunner over the past decade and a half, his work has appeared on TV-One, Discovery ID, MTV, The History Channel, The National Geographic Channel, A&E, The Bio Channel, SpeedTV and the Food Network to name a few.