Our Programs

Scholarships

We award scholarships annually to students graduating from Manchester Essex Regional High School, or to any graduating senior who attended Essex Elementary School. Contact the guidance office for an application, or access it below. The following scholarships are available:

One $5,000 scholarship through MERHS

One $3,000 scholarship through the

Essex Lion’s Club

One $3,000 scholarship through the

Cape Ann Chamber of Commerce

One Scholarship for a student pursuing an education in the hospitality field through the

Massachusetts Restaurant Association.

Visit themassrest.org/scholarships for more information.

Our Story

Lawrence Dexter (Deck) and Virginia (Gini) Woodman

In 1988, after Dexter passed away, his wife, Gini created the L. Dexter Woodman Scholarship. When Gini passed away in 2011, the name was changed to the Mr. & Mrs. L. Dexter Woodman Scholarship. In 2022, we changed the name to the L. Dexter Woodman Family Foundation so we can broaden our giving. Instead of giving scholarships to students for school, we want to be able to give to families in need, and organizations such as Action, Inc., so kids can have a good Christmas.

That's what our family is about.

Our Impact

Since 1988, we have awarded over $911,496 to over 205 local students and ​organizations:

• Manchester Essex (MA) Regional High School Seniors
  
• Cape Ann Chamber of Commerce
• Essex Lions Club
• Massachusetts Restaurant Association
• Campbell High School, Litchfield, NH
• Woodman's of Essex Employee College Students
• Supporter of 25 North Shore Chamber of Commerce Honors Scholars
• Scholarship of Prep@Pingree
• Sponsorship of Root NS, Inc.
• Cape Ann Kids Fund through Action, Inc.
• Beverly Bootstraps - Back-to-School Backpacks Program (new, 2023)
• The Jimmy Fund
• Connor’s Kindness Project
• NAMI Cape Ann
  

Our Recipients

1988-2024

Eileen Buckley

Alice Carroll

Brad McGowan

Michelle Parady

Heather Partridge

Robert Cohen

Corey Jackson

Mandi Symonds

Shane Gauthier

George Mullan

Mindi Zaniboni

Micah Nyatsambo

Margaret Fucillo

Aaron Nowicki

Mary O’Donoghue

Heather Kazuba

Jane Swanson

Hillary Oak

Theresa Fitzgerald

Amanda French

Seann Tulloch

Lance Brisbois

Kate Lufkin

Daniel Fialho

Lindsay Harnden

Rebecca DeAngelis

Carrie Erwin

Walter Mears

Catherine Rogers

Caitlin Lombardi

Danielle Burnham

Kimberly Rauch

Samantha Ball

Karlton Osborn

Paula Bora Nam

Laura Elena Wilwerth

Jeffrey Gang

Christopher Gang

Marissa Neal

Ryan Swansey

Matthew Doe

Daniel Vickery

Dominic Olivio

Douglas Filosa

Christopher Jordan

Jonathan McCarron

Maryellen Kwasie

Matthew Orlando

Janelle Dineen

David Landry

Jamie L. Malatzky

Megan Dubeau

Christopher Grant

Scott Forsythe

Tracee Skidmore

Makayla Gagne

Molly Osborne

Tasha A. Frank

Daniel Aloisia

William Norris

Erik Walder

Dan Ball

Anne Osborne

Caroline Martin

Alexander Trotsky

Luke Paddock Elder

Joshua Horman

Colin Toner

Samuel Weinstein

Greg Neff

Justine Kane

Caleb R. Pearce

Ruby Allen

Maximo V. Millefoglie

Kaley Letendre

Christopher Peritore

Jessica Jean Appletofft

Piper E. Browne

Adam Richard Philpott

Rebecca Lynch

Michael McCollum

Christine Walder

Jonathan DeSoto

Margaret Tarr

Gabrielle DeMarco

Jared Lopez Larrasco

Shauna M. Rice

Ellen Burgess

Samantha Nieberle

Adrian Frattini

Anya Ciarametaro

Paul Penoyer

D. Conor Sullivan

Raisin Gedeon

Jessica Belzil

Kyle Cummings

Alexa Worthington

Calvin Lamothe

Kelsi Field

Christopher Xavier

Carolyn Heslop

Taylor Ketchum

Christopher Wright

Nathan Richards

Erik Burke

Erin King

Sabrina Mirabella

Sarah Carpenter

Alyssa Shepard

Neil Henry

Nicholas Banister

Emily DeBaker

Sean Jeffreys

Kristian True

Troy Ciarametaro

Breanna Arnold

Katie Glidden

Henry Freeman

Gabrielle Martin

Jack Gourdeau

Jacob Tognazzi

Kara Hersey

Caisi Calandra

Michael Viarella

Thomas Viarella

Tatum Corrente

Abigail Martin

Kailey Bachman

Amber Pare

Nicole Tocco

JJ Thissell

Aubrey Musco

Jami Mucci

Gabrielle Allmendinger

Sydney Ring

Taryn O’Connor

Kelsey O’Keefe

Madison Keiran

Alex Sword

William Martin

Ali Tilton

Austin Pare

Meredith Wolf

Bennett O’Leary

Will Deschenes

Rachel Turner

Abbigail Osborn

Marcos Pasquale

Kamie Reader

Jeremiah Okoro

Mallory McFadden

Sage Landry

Philippa Cox-Stavros

Ashlyn Smith

Kristina Koulouris

Emily Rose Fossa

Logan McGrath

Max Elwell

Emma DiZio

Maxine Hickey

William Martin

Mallory McFadden

Travis Duncan

Meredith McFadden

Josh Dobson

Noah Duris

McKenzie Woodman

Timothy Lee

Julia Keenan

Brianna Pappas

Chloe Bertocci

Sophia Bertocci

Luke Smith

Brody Baskin

Isabella Thurlow

Jonathan Stewart

Michael Lee

Grace Gerhardt

Aria Caputo

Brett Tardie

Maddie Frost

Eve DiZio

Julia Keenan

Rachele Connor

Gavin Davis

Thomas Rice

Henry Thurlow

Julianna Abel

Riley Huber

Brett Tardie

Zoe Elwell

Samuel Gunsalus

Our Sponsors & Donors

Sponsors:

• Merrimack Valley Distributing Company, Inc.
  
• J. Stone / Diamond Foods
  
• Shaheen Brothers / Fred Shaheen
• Leslie S. Ray Insurance Agency, Inc.
• Captain Vince, Inc.
• Woodman’s of Essex
• Intershell International Corp.
• Decklyn’s - Patrick Shea & Family

2023-2024 Donations Made By:

• Nathaniel S. Woodman
  
• Mr. & Mrs. Paul & Sally Butler
• Back Acres Landscaping, in memory of Wanda Brooks
• Tim & Sandi Hubiak
• Edwin Perkins
• The Tulloch Family
• Glovers Floor Coverings, Inc.
• Deb & Amory Aldrich
• MCJ Insurance Agency
• David’s Fish Market
• Mortillaro Lobster, Inc.
• North Coast Seafoods
• William Kelleher Associates, LLC
• Chelsea Morning Produce
• Lance Brisbois
• JoAnn Figurido
• Susan Good
• Carole & Charles Lundrigan
• Chococoa Baking Company, Inc.
• Gordon Florist & Greenhouses
• Richard Cella
• Eileen Hardy
• Unlimited Promotions
• Essex River Cruises & Charters
• Jim & Betty Anne Prentiss
  

Donations Made in Memory of:

• Joe Kelleher
• Wanda Brooks
• Beatrice Henebury
• Jim Witham
• Harlen “Bud” Wendall
• Louise Cosmer
• Louise DeVitto
• Gay Tognazzi
• Sue Muise
• David Brisbois
• Sandy Patrican
• Cindy Birkemose
• Jamie Donovan
• M​a​u​r​een Murray

Make a Gift

There are multiple ways to give to the L. Dexter Woodman Family Foundation:

Mail a check:

L. Dexter Woodman Family Foundation

P.O. Box 81

Essex, MA 01929

TAX EXEMPT# 22-2925975

Contact & Leadership

Board of Directors

Tracey Carlson

President

Vanessa Woodman de Lazo

Vice President

Kristi Leigh Swett

Treasurer

Emma DiZio

Clerk

Dexter Viator

Member-at-Large

Wendy A. Viator

Financial Administrator

Advisory Board

Jenna Aiello

Julia Burroughs

Betsy DeVries

Edward Lafferty

Norman Lemcke

Donna M. Roy

Thomas Shea

Sondi Stanton

Susan I. Lufkin

Advisory Board Chairperson

Family Council

Patricia D'Alelio

Cynthia Fougere

Stephen B. Woodman

Douglas K. Woodman

Maureen C. Woodman

Family Council Chairperson