2312 Deer Creek Ct

Columbia MO 65201-3564

www.kewpie.net

September 4, 2013    

Bob Carlson

Assistant Attorney General

Missouri Attorney General's Office

815 Olive St.

St. Louis, MO 63101

Dear Bob Carlson,

This is regarding the discussions we have had regarding the scholarship money being held at the Columbia Public Schools in Columbia MO, which I requested to be moved to the scholarship accounts I created at the Community Foundation of Central Missouri on May 14, 2013.

As of November 6, 2008 it became official*(see attachment #1) that two separate scholarship accounts were established by the Columbia Public Schools; the ‘kewpie.net Scholarship’ and the ‘Charley Blackmore’s Class of ’63 Scholarship’ and the money would be in two separate accounts held by the Columbia Public Schools with the goal being that the fund would generate two scholarships each year of $1,000.00 and $500.00 from the respective scholarships. This came about because at the onset of these scholarships there was discussion of the amounts that would be needed to perpetuate these scholarships and after five years and raising almost $60,000.00 I thought it was time to be looking into where we were interest wise and what my bottom line goal should be.

When I received a printout from the Columbia Public Schools dated April 25, 2013 as to the balances of the two accounts* (see attachment #2) I was shocked. There appeared to be only $516.99 difference in the total of the two accounts, earned in almost five years. To say the least I was devastated and total caught by surprise. I sought counsel and contacted a friend who was an attorney and retired from Director of Planned Giving at Capital University of Bexley, Ohio. He brought to me the suggestion of a community foundation and located one right here in Columbia, Missouri, where, Jim Ritter, the past Superintendent of the Columbia Public Schools is on the Board of Directors. What a breath of fresh air and after talking to the foundation and to find that the money I had raised could be easily moved from the CPS to the CF of CM and start earning 5% on the scholarship money I was so excited I couldn’t wait to put it into action and did so immediately. The CF of CM got the two scholarships approved, the paperwork* (see attachment #3) was signed and scholarships activated on May 14, 2013. The CF of CM sent an email to the CPS; Chief Financial Officer, Linda Quinley of same date and she acknowledged and agreed* (see attachment #4) to start work on moving the money from the CPS accounts to the CF of CM accounts.

I have been checking back with the CF of CM every week since to see if the money was moved and finally on August 27, 2013 after numerous calls and emails to Linda Quinley by me and John Baker of the CF of CM, we received email from her.*(see attachment #5) Now after almost four months and the scholarship losing another $179.00 per month in interest Linda Quinley states that “I need to go back over 7 years which crosses systems and requires archive work which we have begun.” WHAT is SHE talking about? The scholarship began officially in November of 2008, I think that is less than five years. She also states she may need to send a list of names for addresses to me. She doesn’t even have all the names. Many of these dollars were donated by taking up a collection anonymously at class reunions and several of the donors are deceased. I have the most accurate list available, which I am providing to you.*(see attachment #6) On August 29, 2013 I sent an email*(see attachment #7) and a phone message to every single donor I had contact information on asking them to email, phone or write to the CPS Financial Office of Linda Quinley authorizing the transfer of all money in the two named scholarship accounts. She responded by replying to the donors by telling them they needed to provide her with the amount and time of their donations. What are we doing here? Isn’t this about increasing the value and amount of scholarships for Hickman High School, the now most likely high school in our city to need our help? I don’t know what else I can do. I have received many phone calls and responded to many emails and spent hours of time for the last week letting donors know the amount and time of their donations.

I am at my wits end and only wonder how much more is to be lost in scholarship funds until this scholarship money can be in a place where tomorrows Kewpie Alum can benefit even more than they have already because of the time and effort I have spent raising, now almost $70,000.00 and have lost over $7,000.00 in interest because of my stupidity of thinking the money was going to be earning interest with the CPS. I plead ignorance, I only knew what I was told and did everything I was asked to do by the CPS to make these scholarships happen. A total of $15,000.00 has been given because of my efforts in the last five years. All I ask now is that someone expedites this issue and gets the money moved to where it belongs so the future Kewpie Alum can reap even greater benefits of my effort.

I hope, based on what you told me in our phone conversations and emails that you are the right person to make this happen. I will be forever grateful if that is the case.

I have also attached a “complete list of all the records I have regarding donations” *(also attachment #6) prior to April 25, 2013 made to the CPS as well as those made to the CF of CM since the start of the scholarships with the foundation.

Thank you so much with your assistance in making this dream of mine of “having perpetual scholarships at my alma mater, David Henry Hickman High School” a reality!

Sincerely,