CAPE CORAL, Fla. (June 11, 2026) – The Gulf Coast Village Foundation, the philanthropic arm of Cape Coral’s only life plan community, recently awarded a record $19,000 in scholarships to six associates during its annual scholarship awards ceremony on Sunday, June 7, recognizing team members pursuing higher education while continuing to serve residents across the life plan community.
This year’s scholarship recipients included Ashanza Paul, Victor Chavez, Edwin Santiago Baron Crus, Tanisha Joseph, Shernelle Gerson and Carlos Gonzalez Pena. The six recipients are set to pursue educational goals in several fields, including nursing, psychology and aviation, while balancing their careers, school and caregiving responsibilities.
Hosted in Gulf Coast Village’s auditorium, the ceremony featured recipients reading personal essays about their educational journeys and future goals. Resident scholarship committee members introduced recipients, while Foundation and Outreach Coordinator Rachel Byrd and Pastor Cheryl Leftwich shared remarks about this year’s applicants, the scholarship selection process and the continued impact of the program.
The scholarship program reflects the Gulf Coast Village Foundation’s broader mission of investing in people and strengthening the future of care in Southwest Florida. Scholarship funding helps associates pursue educational opportunities that may otherwise feel financially out of reach, while continuing to make an impact on the lives of Gulf Coast Village residents each day.
The ceremony also reflected the lasting connection between Gulf Coast Village Foundation and the employees it supports. Byrd, who received a scholarship through the program in 2014 while working as a dietary aide at Gulf Coast Village during high school, now helps oversee the foundation supporting the next generation of recipients. Her grandfather, Pastor Richard “Dick” Hafer, a founding member of Gulf Coast Village, currently serves as president of the foundation board, while her grandmother, Marianne Hafer, serves on the scholarship committee.
“Twelve years ago, I sat where our scholarship recipients are sitting now. I was a Gulf Coast Village associate with big dreams, a lot of determination and a lot of uncertainty about how I was going to get there. In 2014, I was honored to receive a scholarship from this Foundation,” Byrd said during the ceremony. “What they gave me was more than financial assistance. They gave me confidence, encouragement and the reassurance that someone saw potential in me and was willing to invest in my future. A scholarship is not simply a check or an award. It is a statement of belief. It says, ‘We see you. We believe in your goals. We believe in your future.’”
Applicants submitted a personal essay that was anonymously scored by a third party, participated in an interview with the foundation’s education committee, which was then scored privately by each committee member, and supervisors evaluated their performance based on qualities such as integrity, responsibility, quality of work, discipline and teamwork. These three scores were combined and averaged to create a final ranking, helping the foundation committee select the final scholarship recipients. The amounts were distributed based on their final scores.
During the ceremony, Margaret “Peggy” Young was honored with an award in recognition of her decade-long support of the Gulf Coast Village Foundation scholarship initiative. In her role, she and her late husband Dr. Walter Byron Young anonymously reviewed student scholarship essays, providing an imperative service to the committee and its selection process.
The six scholarships were made possible by the contributions of Gulf Coast Village’s residents, families, associates and supporters.
For more information about the Gulf Coast Village Foundation’s scholarship program or how to contribute, contact Rachel Byrd at 239-999-3989, rbyrd@voa.org or visit GulfCoastVillage.org/Foundation.
About Gulf Coast Village
Founded in 1989, Gulf Coast Village is the only life plan community in Cape Coral, Florida. Residents enjoy active living in an unparalleled lifestyle of comfort and convenience with a rich array of services and amenities that are focused on living well. The community also offers the security of knowing there is a full continuum of care, including independent living, assisted living, specialized memory support, skilled nursing, home health and rehabilitation services. Gulf Coast Village is located at 1333 Santa Barbara Blvd., Cape Coral, FL 33991. For more information, call 239-510-8712 or visit GulfCoastVillage.org.
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Media Contacts:
Jada Bigord, Priority Marketing, Jada@PriorityMarketing.com, 239-267-2638 or 941-268-5395 (cell)
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