Aug. 29, 2007

CALENDAR FORMAT

WHAT:  Paul and Helen Schnare Library Dedication and Open House
WHEN:  Sept. 19, 2007
WHERE:  Learning Resource Center, St. Charles Community College campus,
4601 Mid Rivers Mall Dr., Cottleville. (Access through Blue Parking Lot)
COST:  Free

 

NEWS STORY FORMAT

COLLEGE LIBRARY TO BE NAMED AFTER PAUL AND HELEN SCHNARE
Board of Trustees to Honor Couple’s Dedication to Education

In a special ceremony in September, the St. Charles Community College (SCC) Board of Trustees will name the college library after Helen and the late Paul Schnare, a local couple with a place in the college’s history and a continuing role in the success of its students.

The Library Dedication Ceremony and Open House is set for 5:30-6:30 p.m. on Wednesday, Sept. 19, in the Learning Resource Center on campus, 4601 Mid Rivers Mall Drive in Cottleville. The event is free and open to the college community and the public. Refreshments will be served.

“The Schnares’ love for their community, their passion for education, and their commitment of talent and resources has furthered the mission of this college and enhanced educational opportunities for all our citizens,” said John McGuire, president of SCC.

Helen Schnare, a former teacher, was active on early citizen committees to research the feasibility of establishing a new community college. Her enthusiasm and hard work contributed greatly to a successful campaign to promote the issue to voters, McGuire said, and county voters established the college in 1986.

The Schnares’ solid commitment to the birth of the college included providing the first college president, Dr. Donald Shook, with office space in their St. Charles home for several months while the college looked for various office and classroom sites to rent in the community.

Paul Schnare, an accountant and auditor, was asked early on by community supporters to become involved in a leadership role at the college. He subsequently ran for office and was elected to the first SCC Board of Trustees, where he served from 1986-1990 as board secretary.  As a trustee, Schnare was one of the visionaries who selected the current site for the permanent campus, which opened in 1992 after the college operated for five years in temporary locations throughout the county.

When the new campus opened, the Schnares volunteered their time in the library for many years, re-stocking books and assisting the college librarians as needed.

Following Paul’s death in 1997, Helen established the SCC Foundation’s first endowed scholarships to help students in financial need, assisting 21 students over the years.  “The $44,000 endowment will continue to assist students well into the future and will inspire others to contribute to student success,” said Edie Kirk, executive director of the SCC Foundation. Today, at the age of 84, Helen Schnare continues to support student scholarships and maintains an interest in special events and projects of the SCC Foundation.

Helen Schnare taught English and speech for 23 years at St. Charles High School. She previously taught for two years in Leadwood, Mo., and in Boston, Mass., from 1968-1970. Helen’s public service included an appointment as a commissioner for the Missouri Department of Highways and Transportation from 1983-1989. She was appointed by Gov. Christopher "Kit" Bond as the state's first woman commissioner.

Paul Schnare was an auditor for Liberty Mutual Insurance for most of his career, with a five-year period of self-employment as a forensic auditor for firms such as Peabody Coal. Schnare served as an elected commissioner for the Eastern District, St. Charles County Government, from 1991-1993.

“For the Schnares, education for everyone – not just the most affluent – became a passion,” Kirk said. “Their other passion was love of community and family, and they dedicated themselves to broadening access to higher education for all citizens of St. Charles County. Our community is a richer place due their commitment and contributions.”

The Schnares have three children: John Schnare, of British Columbia in Canada; Kate Foulke, of Portland, Ore.; and Mary Stodden of St. Charles, a librarian at St. Charles High School.  They have five grandchildren.

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