LITTLETON – Matthew N. Friend of Jefferson, NH and Kimberly A. Smith of Lyndonville, VT are the 2003 recipients of the annual Rena Hood/Bart McKinney Memorial Scholarships for higher education awarded to daughters or sons of Littleton Coin Company employees.Matthew, son of Nathan and Judy Friend, is a 2003 graduate of White Mountain Regional High School. He has been accepted to Plymouth State College where he will pursue a degree in the communications field. Kimberly, daughter of Lee Smith and Gary Chamberlain, is a 2002 graduate of Lyndon Institute. Currently, Kimberly attends evening classes at the Community College of Vermont, while working full-time at the Pine Knoll Nursing Home. Her plans include attending Vermont Technical College to become a Registered Nurse.
The two annual $1,000 scholarships are given in memory of two longtime employees of Littleton Coin who made major contributions to the success of the firm from its beginning, and who were keenly interested in community service and education. Rena Hood was instrumental in developing the mail-order company's nationwide reputation for personal service to collectors. Bart McKinney was general manager of the firm from 1948 to1986, after a career in education that included serving as principal of Littleton and Whitefield High Schools.
Littleton Coin Company is one of the world's leading providers of collectible coins and paper money. The company employs over 300 New Hampshire and Vermont residents and occupies a 65,000-square-foot building on Mt. Eustis Road in Littleton, NH.
