By Tara Fischer

Staff Writer

Mayor Zack Tyndall and Berlin council members were honored this week with the Briddell Family Foundation Service Award for the body’s dedication to the small town community.

Co-founder of the foundation, Kwanza Briddell, and her father, Walter Briddell, a member of the group’s board of directors, were present at the Berlin Mayor and Council’s Monday, Feb. 10 meeting to present the recognition and update the governing body on the service foundation’s recent ongoings.

“Thank you for what you do,” Kwanza Briddell said, addressing the Berlin Town Council. “Not just for the foundation. Every year the foundation gives out several awards to people in the community, and this year we just thought it would be robbery if we did not recognize you for everything that you have been to us since our inception. So we have this award. It’s our community service award for everything that you do for the Town of Berlin. Not just for the foundation, but all of its citizens. We appreciate you.”

The Briddell Family Foundation was birthed in 2001 to help students in their pursuit of higher education.

“The Briddell Family Foundation is dedicated to strengthening our community by helping individuals on their path to higher learning,” the nonprofit’s website says. “We work to aid the community in three areas of focus: humanitarianism, benevolence, education and scholarship gifts. The mission of the Briddell Family Foundation is to help students reach a level of success that will aid them in their academic career and beyond.”

The organization offers two scholarships, including the George and Martha Briddell Legacy Scholarship, which was established in 2001 to “assist descendants of George and Martha Briddell as they further their education.” The group also sponsors a Community Scholarship, created in 2021. The scholarship is awarded to a student pursuing full-time enrollment in a college, university or technical school.  Both financial gifts are awarded based on financial need, academic achievement, demonstrated leadership skills, and community service.

While the start of the organization was humble, giving away less than $200 via their scholarship fund, Briddell maintained the foundation’s aid has grown by “leaps and bounds.” This year alone, the foundation offered approximately $3,400 in scholarships.

“In addition to that, we reached six schools in the continental United States and two in Ghana,” Briddell said. “With that, we were able to do $1,500 in literacy grants to those students. Through those six schools, we reach over 3,000 students and we give out books to all of them on their birthdays, brand new books.”

The co-founder said that the group also hosts altruistic events in the Berlin area each year, primarily to benefit students. One such program is the Back-to-School Movie Night. The foundation welcomes students and their families to enjoy a film on the Henry Park lawn, offering popcorn, pizza, refreshments and school supplies free to all students. The event has been going on for about four years now. Briddell said that with leadership support, it has grown since its conception.

“Your faith in us has not gone unused,” the co-founder said, addressing the Berlin Town Council.