Willie Gary and the Gary Foundation Give Treasure Coast Students the Opportunity to Shine during
Inaugural Scholarship Reception

 Nine Scholarships Awarded to
Students on the Treasure Coast

Stuart, FL - Attorney Willie Gary and the Gary Foundation recently hosted a scholarship reception at the Law Offices of Gary, Williams, Finney, Lewis, Watson & Sperando, P.L. in which students on the Treasure Coast were given the opportunity to shine as they met with college representatives from three colleges and universities from Florida and North Carolina.

Over 40 students arrived “dressed to impress” and with transcripts in hand at the law offices in downtown Stuart. Some arrived with a parent or school counselor to support the excited students. Kenneth Gary, president and CEO of the Gary Foundation, greeted students and answered questions, as appetizers and beverages were served. The juniors and seniors were from area schools including: Jensen Beach High School, Fort Pierce Central, Fort Pierce Westwood, Vero Beach High School, St. Lucie West Centennial, Martin County High School, Lincoln Park Academy, Port St. Lucie High School, South Fork High School and Treasure Coast High School. Many of the students had impressive GPAs, in most cases, exceeding 3.5.

As a result of the Gary Foundation’s Inaugural Scholarship Reception, Edward Waters College is recommending that two students from Fort Pierce Westwood each receive full Presidential Scholarships for four years valued at $62,600 each. St. Augustine’s College has recommended five students receive scholarships totaling $96,000. Shaw University has recommended a student from Vero Beach High School, and from Lincoln Park Academy each receive full Presidential Scholarships for four years, valued at $70,400 each. Gary is an alumnus of Shaw University and currently serves as Chairman of the Board of Trustees. In addition, Gary is responsible for reviving the football programs at both Shaw University and Edward Waters College. As a result, the two schools meet annually at the Willie Gary Football Classic.

“The Gary Foundation provides education, direction and opportunities for young people,” said Kenneth Gary. “This was the first of many events the Foundation will host to help send talented students to college. I am grateful to the schools that participated and hope to give away many more scholarships at next year’s event,” continued Gary.

Known for his philanthropic endeavors, Willie Gary and his wife, Gloria, founded The Gary Foundation in 1994 to provide scholarships, direction and opportunities to at-risk students who wish to attend college. The Gary’s have donated millions of dollars to help Historically Black Colleges and Universities – including $10 million to his alma mater Shaw University in Raleigh, North Carolina.                        

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Willie Gary knows better than anyone that tough times never last but tough people do. Growing up in a poor migrant family, Gary beat the odds to become a multi-millionaire nationally renown attorney, who is known for giving back to the less fortunate. 

Gary keeps rising out of the shack he and his ten sisters and brothers shared. Gary  was the first black male to go to college from the small town of Indiantown where his family labored in the cane fields. He still remembers the tiny shack where he lived in the Silver City settlement of Pahokee, Florida. Gary often drives by the shack with a clear vision of those times.

Gary, Williams, Finney, Lewis, Watson & Sperando, P.L., is headquartered in the Waterside Professional Plaza, a historic art-deco landmark on the St. Lucie River in Stuart.

Gary bought the building in 1988 and executed $3 million in renovations to the property. The firm's Ft. Pierce offices are on the Intercostal Waterway, just south of the Fort Pierce inlet.

The Gary Foundation is committed to enhancing the lives of youth and steering them away from crime and drugs.

Through scholarships and funding for agencies such as the Gertrude Walden Center and other educational institutions, the foundation instills the desire to learn.