Kelly’s Angels expands scholarship program to Lake George and Mechanicville

Kelly’s Angels, the local charity dedicated to helping children and families who are facing adversity, announced the expansion of their scholarship program at a press event held on Thursday, Oct. 12, at Lake George High School.

Kelly’s Angels Founder and President Mark Mulholland, standing with Lake George School Superintendent John Luthringer, Lake George Jr-Sr. High Counseling Department Chairperson Stephen Preuss, Lake George Jr-Sr. High Principal Francis Cocozza and former Lake George Village Mayor Robert Blais, announced that Lake George and Mechanicville high schools will join 10 other Capital Region schools in the program that awards two graduating seniors, one boy and one girl, $1,500 each to pursue higher education.

Mulholland says that expanding the program to include Lake George High School was “a natural, in fact, I can’t believe we didn’t come up with it earlier…” Kelly’s Angels was founded to honor the memory of Mulholland’s late wife Kelly, and Mulholland says his wife’s first teaching position was at Lake George Elementary School. “She loved Lake George,” Mulholland says.

He also noted that Lake George has been very supportive of their cause as host of the Lake George Summer Lovin’ Fest, which was held in Shepard Park this past summer. Despite heavy rain during the three-day outdoor music festival, the event raised $20,000 “which was perfect timing as we’re now giving away more than ever… Our little charity, that started in my family room in Wilton, is on pace to give away $100,000 just this year, and we’re eager to give away $3,000 to two graduating seniors in Lake George this year.”

“We started as an organization that makes grants to children with loss to cancer, not unlike Make A Wish,” says Mulholland, “but what we’re doing today is announcing an expansion of our scholarship program, which is separate from the grants we give. For the past, I guess, 10ish years, we’ve provided scholarships to children who have persevered through adversity, overcame adversity of some sort whether it’s an illness of their own, illness in their family, perhaps a disability, perhaps they’ve been bullied, any myriad of reasons.”

To qualify for a scholarship, students must meet four criteria. They need to have persevered in the face of adversity, they need to have a need, They need to be pursuing higher education of some sort, and they need to have shown some commitment to helping others.

Mulholland notes that Kelly’s Angels is an all-volunteer charity with no staff or overhead, “any money that comes in, we give out.”

In addition to the scholarship program, Kelly’s Angels has several grant programs:

• Fun Grants for whatever a child desires to help them make memories and smile again (for example, tickets to a sporting event or a Broadway show);
• Angel Aid —small, one-time grants to support families struggling financially due to the loss of a spouse or from significant healthcare expenses incurred in their life-threatening health battle;
• Angel Hugs — small grants to help a parent provide self-care so they can be at their best for their family, and to let them know they’re not alone;
• Hugs for Ukraine — one-time grants for children from Ukraine who have relocated to the Capital Region due to the war in their homeland.

Featured photo: Kelly’s Angels Founder and President Mark Mulholland stands with Lake George High School administrators and former Village of Lake George Mayor Robert Blais during an Oct. 12, 2023, press event announcing the expansion of Kelly’s Angels scholarship program. L-R: Lake George School Superintendent John Luthringer; Lake George Jr-Sr. High Counseling Department Chairperson Stephen Preuss; Mark Mulholland; Lake George Jr-Sr. High Principal Francis Cocozza and Robert Blais.