Jody with wonderful husband Sean and her beautiful niece Marisol

Friends, Family Plan Benefit for Jody (Tanner) Karla Memorial Scholarship

Donations Requested for Event Auction to Create a Scholarship in the Name of Beloved Teacher

 Friends and family of Jody (Tanner) Karla are seeking donations from area businesses for a fundraiser to raise money for a scholarship in her memory.  The scholarship will help students pursuing a teaching degree. The fundraiser, to be held on New Year’s Eve, will feature a silent auction. 

 Jody succumbed to her courageous battle with cystic fibrosis at the age of 32 on September 25, 2009 while awaiting a lung transplant.  She was a 1995 graduate of Ilion High School and graduated cum laude from Syracuse University with a Bachelor of Science degree in mathematics and mathematics education.  She was a graduate of Le Moyne College with a master’s degree in secondary education. For the past ten years, she taught mathematics at Marcellus High School where she was a beloved teacher by all of the students and staff.

 “The courage and perseverance Jody displayed throughout her life was truly amazing and something that should be recognized,” said Laura Luke, a life-long friend and organizer of the fundraiser.  “We have started a scholarship in her name at Ilion High School so her legacy can live on and provide assistance to students pursuing a teaching degree.  We hope to enlist the support of our area residents and businesses so we may truly honor Jody’s memory.”

 The fundraiser will be held at 7pm on December 31st, 2008 at the Ilion Knights of Columbus and will feature a silent auction, live entertainment by Jon Leibing and DJ, hors d’oeuvres, and a free champagne toast at midnight.  The committee hopes to raise at least $20,000, which will provide approximately forty $500 scholarships over the next several years.

 Local businesses and individuals who would like to make monetary donations to the “Jody Karla Memorial Scholarship Fundraiser” should contact Laura Luke, committee chair, at 733-7913 or email jodykarlascholarship@yahoo.com.  Committee members will also be visiting and calling businesses during an outreach campaign over the next several weeks to collect donations for this very special event.  All sponsors will be recognized in the event program for their generosity. 

 Tickets to attend the fundraiser are $30 per person or $50 per couple and will be available starting November 16.  Those interested in attending the fundraiser may buy tickets at the following businesses: Mohawk Valley Nurse Practitioners in Utica; Lennox Pharmacy and Day Scarafile, and Read in Ilion.

 To make a donation or purchase tickets, interested parties can send checks to the committee chair at the following address: ATTN: Jody Karla Scholarship Fund, 1 Notre Dame Lane, Utica, NY 13502.  Checks should be made payable to Jody Karla Scholarship Fund c/o Laura Luke.

 Diagnosed with Cystic Fibrosis at 14, Jody did not let her illness stand in the way of her dreams.  A cheerleader and academic star throughout high school, the homecoming queen married her high school sweetheart, Sean Karla, in 2004.  Jody’s academic successes earned herself a scholarship to Syracuse University where she continued to excel in every way.

 While at Syracuse University, Jody was a member of the Golden Key National Honor Society, Phi Eta Sigma National Honor Society and Eta Pi Upsilon Women’s Leadership Honorary. She was a student peer advisor for the School of Education and was a member of the Academy of Mathematics Education and was a member of the Academy of Mathematics Education. She was a recipient of the Chancellor’s Scholarship and the Senior Honors Scholarship.

 She continued her love of mathematics at Marcellus High School, where she loved teaching as much as the students loved her. At Marcellus, Jody served as a class advisor, mathematics league advisor, helped supervise school activities and assisted with coaching. Jody was also employed by Onondaga Community College as a math teacher for SAT exam students.

 For more information regarding the “Jody Karla Memorial Scholarship Fundraiser,” please visit www.jodytannerkarla.webs.com