About Us
History of the Scholarship
The trust to establish the foundation was made and executed on November 16, 1978, by and between Fort Pierce Memorial Hospital Association, Inc., a nonprofit corporation organized and existing under the laws of the State of Florida and Sun Bank of St. Lucie County a Florida banking corporation having trust powers.
“Fort Pierce Memorial Hospital Association, Inc., formerly Fort Pierce Memorial Hospital, Inc., was formed in 1938 as a nonprofit and charitable corporation to build, operate and maintain a hospital facility providing health care and related services to residents of St. Lucie County, Florida.
Fort Pierce Memorial Hospital, erected and operated for more than 30 years by this charitable corporation, became inadequate to meet the health needs of St. Lucie citizens, and was replaced by a new hospital facility, now known as Lawnwood Regional Medical Center, privately owned by Hospital Corporation of America and created with the advice, consent and encouragement of Fort Pierce Memorial Hospital Association, Inc., The assets of Fort Pierce Memorial Hospital were liquidated, providing funds devoted to the betterment of health care and services for St. Lucie County residents. To that end, Fort Pierce Memorial Hospital Association, Inc., its members, officers and directors, have resolved that said funds be used in meeting the exhibited financial needs of St. Lucie County residents seeking education leading to careers in health care and related fields.” On March 7, 2002 an amendment to the Articles of Incorporation were made to name the Corporation the Basil L. King Scholarship Foundation, Inc. in honor of the Fort Pierce Memorial Hospital’s administrator Basil L. King who was instrumental in establishing the trust and in who served as the Executive Director until his passing.
Foundation Board of Directors
The Basil L. King Scholarship Program is guided by a volunteer board of directors.
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Frank "Speedy" Fee, Chair
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Ann Decker
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Cynthia Sheelar, RN
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Karen Ripper, RN
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Eilean Clark, RN
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Ronald Cason
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Jimmie Anne Haisley, Executive Director
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Melanie Cianciotto, Truist VP and Client Manager
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Kim Krause, Truist Advisor
Student Testimonials
Past Recipient, Now Foundation Board Member, Calls Award ‘Life Changing’
Cindy Sheelar, Clinical Manager of the In-Patient Unit at Lawnwood Regional Medical Center, started her career in nursing with the help of the Basil L. King Foundation.
“The scholarship came at a time when I really needed it,” shares Sheelar. “It let me focus on my studies, rather than how I was going to pay for nursing school. At the time, I was a young mother of two small children; so it really did help.”
With financial assistance from the Basil L. King Scholarship Foundation, Sheelar earned her Associate Degree in Nursing from Indian River State College (IRSC) in 2004.
Today, she serves as a Basil L. King Scholarship Foundation Board Member, and is enrolled in the IRSC Bachelor of Applied Science in Organizational Management program to prepare her for future leadership opportunities at the hospital. Sheelar sees her service as a nurse and as a board member as “paying it forward” to the community that rallied around her.
“Now that I am on the board for the Foundation, I get to see how important it is for the education to be provided to others—to see what a difference it makes in their lives,” says Sheelar.
She encourages everyone who is interested in a career in healthcare to apply.
" I am a non-traditional student pursuing an Associates Degree in Nursing at Palm Beach State College with the goal to continue my educational journey and earn a Bachelor of Science in Nursing and ultimately a Certified Nurse Anesthetist. I enjoy helping others and know the skill-set obtained through nursing will lend many opportunities where I am able to care for those in a variety of settings. This has been a long journey in the making, but with your generous scholarship, I am able to focus solely on my academic studies without the added stress or worry of finances. I am extremely thankful for your investment in my future and for your continued support of higher education in St. Lucie County."
Rachel W.