Letter from David Shapiro ('97), grandson of ZBT house mother Elsie Shapiro:"Dear ZBT Brothers,
It is both with sadness and excitement that I write to you today. On December 27th, while my entire family was together on vacation in Florida, my grandmother passed away from congestive heart failure. My grandmother, or Mother Shapiro as you knew her, lived an incredible life of 94 years. Her family and friends spent time together after the funeral talking about all the great memories we have of her. While it was a sad day, that gathering made us all smile and laugh and think of how fortunate we all were to have had her in our life.
For me, I think her service to ZBT and the influence she had on all of her boys is what made her the special woman we all remember. I can remember when I was young hearing countless stories about all of you. In particular, the generosity and thoughtfulness of the boys when they sent her to Israel is something that I will never forget. More than anything else, I realized what makes me proud to be her grandson is that there are over 300 other boys in this world that loved my grandmother as much as I did.
Four years ago, I felt this love first hand. I contacted you to send in family photos and well-wishes for her 90th birthday party. I enclosed a copy of that presentation to this email [attached to this article]. I am understating her reaction that she was more than overwhelmed with the response and your notes; it was an amazing gift that she always treasured.
To honor her memory, I created an endowment fund at UNC to establish a scholarship in her name called the Elsie "Mother" Shapiro ZBT Scholarship. It was always a dream of mine that all of her boys would be able to raise money so her name and spirit would live forever at Chapel Hill.
I am first contacting those who responded to her 90th birthday party to help me raise money and spread the word to your friends. I am sending a mass letter to all ZBT alumni in the coming weeks. The university requires a minimum of $25,000 to begin dispersing funds to students in the form of the scholarship. Therefore, my goal in this effort is to raise $25,000. The fund raising is already underway, as word of her passing reached some of you this week and you asked where to make a contribution.
A gift of $500 from everyone on this list would immediately establish the scholarship. However, any gift and assistance in collecting gifts from others would be greatly appreciated.
I would like to track this effort, keep everyone informed of our progress, and make sure your gift is properly received by the university, so if you would be kind enough to please let me know your intentions, it would be greatly appreciated. I am happy to answer any questions you may have at dshapiro301@yahoo.com, 410-653-3640 (home), or 443-226-9512 (cell).
Please send your contribution to:
The Elsie "Mother" Shapiro ZBT Scholarship
c/o Beth Braxton
University Development
P. O. Box 309
Chapel Hill, NC 27514-0309
Thank you very much for your time and generosity and I look forward to hearing form you soon.
With love of Grandma Elsie,
David Shapiro"
Thus far, David has raised over $20,000 for the fund and is very near to accomplishing his goal.
David Shapiro"
Thus far, David has raised over $20,000 for the fund and is very near to accomplishing his goal.
From the most recent issue of the Carolina Alumni Review
From David's father, Ira Shapiro
"To all:
I found this by chance on the UNC General Alumni Association
website: http://alumni.unc.edu/article.aspx?SID=4239
The class of 1981 made predictions, put them in a time
capsule, and then had a chance to open them in 2006 at their
25th class reunion. The 31st prediction, made by Steven
Gubin, was "Mrs Shapiro will still by the ZBT Housemother."
If ZBT had not closed the house, he may have been right!
Ira"