PHILADELPHIA — January 31, 2008 — The Sapphire Fund has created a scholarship in honor of local activist and business owner Tony Sparacino. The $1,000 annual award will be given to a lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgendered or queer (LGBTQ) student -- or a student supportive of the LGBTQ community -- who is majoring in the arts at a Philadelphia college or university and who has a history of community service.

» More info about the Tony Sparacino Memorial Scholarchip

Sparacino was deeply involved with Philadelphia’s LGBTQ, arts and business communities. A founding member of the Sapphire Fund, he helped to shape its mission of raising funds to address health and social issues within Philadelphia’s LGBTQ, and more broadly, its HIV/AIDS communities. His passion and hard work helped raise hundreds of thousands of dollars.

"Tony was a kind and generous spirit who gave his heart and soul to the community," said Wayne Hamilton, president of the Sapphire Fund. “It is our hope that this scholarship will capture some of his light and help students to shine just as brightly.”

As an activist and business owner, he would take risks that would benefit the Philadelphia community. Sparacino moved his successful business, Sparacino Mens, a fashionable men’s clothing store, to the “Gayborhood.” This was during a time when few businesses were opening in the area.

He was also active on the social scene, hosting one of Philadelphia’s longest running monthly parties, the Lucky Lounge.

Applications for the scholarship will be accepted until May 30, 2008. Applicants should call 267-514-2088 or visit the Sapphire Fund’s Web site at www.sapphirefund.org.

The Sapphire Fund supports organizations that contribute to the health and well-being of Philadelphia's GLBT community. Since 2002, the fund has distributed over $210,000 to a variety of Philadelphia-based GLBT non-profits, including: The William Way Community Center, MANNA, The Linda Creed Breast Cancer Foundation and the AIDS Law Project of Pennsylvania. Other organizations that have received Sapphire support include The Attic Youth Center, Safe Guards, the Philadelphia International Gay and Lesbian Film Festival, Equality Advocates (formerly the Center for Lesbian and Gay Civil Rights), St. Mary's Family Respite Center, Philadelphia Family Pride and the Mazzonni Center.