In the words of Virginia Western Community College spokesman Josh Meyer:

“The Al Pollard Memorial Foundation of Roanoke has earned the 2011 Chancellor’s Award for Leadership in Philanthropy. Virginia Western Community College nominated the Pollard Foundation for the statewide award, which was given at a luncheon ceremony at the Country Club of Virginia on April 19.

The Pollard Foundation was created to honor the life of Al Pollard, a Roanoke restaurateur who owned well-known establishments like Corned Beef & Company, Frankie Rowland’s and 419 West. When he suddenly passed in 2006, a group of his friends decided to honor him by continuing his legacy of positive change in the Roanoke Valley.

Through an annual golf tournament, the Pollard Foundation has been able to make the largest annual scholarship contribution in the history of the Virginia Western Community College Educational Foundation, resulting in the Al Pollard Memorial Scholarships for the Culinary Arts. These scholarships go to support first- and second-year students participating in the college’s Culinary Institute located at the Roanoke Higher Education Center. Since 2006, the Pollard Foundation has contributed more than $140,000 in scholarships.

The Chancellor’s Award for Leadership in Philanthropy is hosted by the Virginia Foundation for Community College Education (VFCCE) to honor the leading philanthropists from each of Virginia’s 23 community colleges as well as the statewide foundation. This marks the sixth year the awards have been given.

This year’s class of distinguished philanthropy leaders has contributed a combined total of $11 million dollars to Virginia’s Community Colleges.

‘Each of these supporters personifies the theme of this event, Living Philanthropy. For those of us here today, living philanthropy is the promise that our impact will live on; it will blend with those who came before creating a larger and larger living tapestry of good will, benefitting and elevating those who come next,’ said Glenn DuBois, chancellor of Virginia’s Community Colleges.

Award recipients will have a scholarship named after them which will be awarded next fall to a student attending their community college. The scholarships are funded largely by the Wachovia Wells Fargo Foundation.