Pat Clark This is Me

 Web References

1. 1. PCOC | PEST CONTROL OPERATORS OF CALIFORNIA

   www.pcoc.org/scholarship/info_ - [Cached]

   Published on: 5/23/2008   Last Visited: 5/23/2008

   Interview with founder Pat ClarkPCOC | PEST CONTROL OPERATORS OF CALIFORNIA
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   PCOC Scholarship Foundation Interview with founder Pat Clark
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   "We are past crawling, starting to walk and we can barely wait to soar," said Clark, the licensee of Clark Pest Control Company."In five to 10 years, we would like to be giving out $10,000 scholarships at the upper end and $2,000 at the lower end."
   
   Eventually, said Clark, who seeded the foundation with $3,000 in 1996 to start the long process of creating the charitable organization, "I'd like to see us establish a University Chair."
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   "The vision I had for the Foundation is that we could catch people fresh, before they went into the university, and let them know that we have a viable industry ready to take them in when they finish school," said Clark."It all starts with a dream and a vision, and then you earn your stripes."
   
   The PCOC Scholarship Foundation started with $3,000 seed money from Clark in 1996, and it took three years just to set up the charitable foundation.
   
   "Lee Zusman helped get us through the process of setting up the foundation," said Clark, "and the attorney was so impressed with the idea that she donated her services in setting it up."
   
   The first scholarships went out in 2000, and the money-raising technique caught everyone in PCOC - except Clark - by surprise."I told Harvey (Logan) that I wanted to do a reverse draw for a Harley Davidson motorcycle," recalled Clark (a reverse draw is a drawing in which the last ticket drawn is the winner)."I said I would sell 182 tickets for $250 each."
   
   "I told Harvey (Logan) it wouldn't cost PCOC a thing because I would guarantee payment on the bike," said Clark."Harvey just shook his head and said ‘Okay, it's your funeral.'
   
   The last 50 tickets of the reverse draw were picked at the induction banquet of the 2000 PCOC Convention, and the draw was so popular that they had to add eight tables at the last minute to the banquet."We had people standing against the wall, just to find out who won," said Clark.
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   "In addition," said Clark, "the Santa Clara District kicked in $20,000 that they raised and donated in the memory of Dale Cardiff."
   
   In 2001, the Foundation gave three scholarships, for $2,000, $1,500 and $1,000, and from 2002 to 2005 it gave out $6,500 in scholarships.
   
   The goal of the Foundation is to hold the number of scholarships at five, but increase the amounts of each scholarship as the Foundation grows."While the scholarships we give are appreciated, given the cost of higher education, they don't go far," said Clark."We need to get them up to $5,000."
   
   The only fundraiser for the Foundation is currently the reverse draw, but Clark said they want to eventually approach PCOs on their estate planning and wills to help boost the Foundation's ability to give larger scholarships.
   
   The requirements for scholarship applicants is extremely simple: they have to be U.S. citizens or permanent residents, a high school senior or higher with a "C" average, and they have to be accepted to a college.
   
   "We give scholarships ranging from community colleges to full universities," said Clark.
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   That way they help with quality control because we are trying to promote the industry," said Clark.

2. 2. PCOC | PEST CONTROL OPERATORS OF CALIFORNIA

   www.pcoc.org/scholarship/index - [Cached]

   Published on: 4/8/2006   Last Visited: 5/23/2008

   Interview with founder Pat Clark