HISTORY

This scholarship was organized September 4, 1970, that began after a family’s tragic death of a son – Bernard Echols because of an automobile accident. Master Bernard Echols departed this life at an early age of nine years old.  This family is known today, as the late Mr. Elgin and Mrs. Ola Mae Echols, Carrollton, Georgia. 

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This untimely youth’s death gave Mr. Eugene Penson, Sr., former member of Pure Holiness Church of God, a passion to memorialize his lost by helping future generations youths of PHC continue his/her education. Mr. Penson approached the Echols Family to get permission about this idea and the family thought how meaningful this could memorialize their loved one.



On September 4, 1970, the Bernard Echols Scholarship Fund was established and today it continues to invest in the lives of PHC youths. Many area youths have been awarded scholarships from states of Georgia, Alabama, Tennessee and Florida and graduated to become doctors, lawyers, entrepreneurs just to name a few.