Horatio Alger Association Raises $250,000 for Scholarship Programs through Benefit Concert at Dr. Phillips Center for the Performing Arts

Horatio Alger Association of Distinguished Americans, Inc., a nonprofit educational organization honoring the achievements of outstanding individuals and encouraging youth to pursue their dreams through higher education, today announced that the benefit concert presented by the organization on Saturday, October 15, 2016 at Dr. Phillips Center for the Performing Arts raised $250,000 for its scholarship and student support programs. Horatio Alger scholarships recognize outstanding students who, in the face of great adversity, have exhibited an admirable commitment to continuing their education and serving their communities.

Funds raised through Amour - 3 Voices from Broadway to the Stars, which featured Mario Frangoulis, George Perris and Deborah Myers performing with the Orlando Philharmonic Orchestra, led by dynamic conductor Eric Jacobsen as Music Director, will help to fund the Association's numerous scholarship programs and support services for students in Central Florida. The proceeds will also benefit additional resources the Association offers to scholarship recipients including college-preparedness seminars, counseling and referral services and mentoring programs. The evening was presented by the Association in collaboration with Orlando-based Horatio Alger Members Harvey L. Massey, chairman and CEO of Massey Services, Inc., Clarence Otis, Jr., retired CEO of Darden and James M. Seneff, Jr., executive chairman of CNL Financial Group.

"My fellow Members and I are incredibly proud that the Orlando community was so generous in their support of the Horatio Alger Association," said Mr. Massey, a 2016 Horatio Alger Award winner. "The students who benefit from the Association's scholarships demonstrate unmatched strength and resilience in their pursuit of the American Dream, and their desire to attend college has never wavered, despite facing trying times. We could not be more pleased with the outcome of this special fundraising event, and we are grateful for the efforts and generosity of all involved."

"What drove the success of this evening was the incredible talent we were able to bring to Orlando in Mario Frangoulis, George Perris and Deborah Myers," said Mr. Otis, a 2007 Horatio Alger Award winner. "Paired with Eric Jacobsen and the outstanding Orlando Philharmonic, these international stars continue to bring honor and awareness to the Association's important mission of encouraging young men and women to pursue their dreams through higher education. To know that through this incredible performance we have been able to provide for so many scholarships only serves to reaffirm our deep and abiding commitment to this special organization."

Horatio Alger Association aims to educate young people about the limitless opportunities afforded to them by the free-enterprise system. Since the establishment of its scholarship programs in 1984, the organization has awarded more than $125 million in undergraduate, graduate and specialized scholarships to 25,000 students across the United States and Canada. The Association also annually bestows the Horatio Alger Award upon outstanding business, civic and cultural leaders who have succeeded despite facing significant adversity, and who are committed to philanthropy and higher education. Scholarships are funded solely through the generosity of Association Members, Life Partners and friends.

"For Mr. Massey, Mr. Otis and I to be part of such an exceptional organization - with such a worthwhile cause - is an honor and a pleasure," said Mr. Seneff. "We are so deeply pleased that our efforts to bring Amour to Orlando have resulted in such a successful fundraising effort and more, that it brought more than 30 Horatio Alger Scholars and Alumni Scholars together for this wonderful evening. Truly, we honor them with our efforts as we ensure that we are developing the next generation of American Dreamers."

For more information about Horatio Alger Association, please visit www.horatioalger.org. Follow the organization on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.

About Horatio Alger Association of Distinguished Americans:
Founded in 1947, the Horatio Alger Association of Distinguished Americans, Inc. is dedicated to the simple but powerful belief that hard work, honesty and determination can conquer all obstacles. The Association honors the achievements of outstanding leaders who have accomplished remarkable successes in spite of adversity by bestowing upon them the Horatio Alger Award and inducting them as lifetime Members. Horatio Alger Members support promising young people with the resources and confidence needed to overcome adversity in pursuit of their dreams through higher education. Through the generosity of its Members and friends, the Association awards more than $12 million annually in undergraduate and graduate need-based scholarships across the United States and Canada and provides college support and mentoring services to its Scholars. Since 1984, the Association has awarded more than $125 million in college scholarships to more than 25,000 deserving young people. For more information, please visit www.horatioalger.org.

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