Paul and Sherry Konwerski Future Plumbers Scholarship Fund

In 2024, the Valley Community Foundation (VCF) welcomed the establishment of the Paul and Sherry Konwerski-Future Plumbers Scholarship Fund. The heartfelt initiative was created by Paul and Sherry who are dedicated to supporting graduates of Platt Technical High School in Milford. For the Konwerski family, this scholarship represents not only a commitment to their community but also a way to address a pressing need within the plumbing industry.

Paul -- owner of Paul the Plumber, Inc. -- has built a thriving plumbing and heating business serving New Haven and Fairfield Counties. Known for their professionalism and expertise, they have always emphasized the importance of reliable and skilled tradespeople. "The plumbing industry is shrinking," Paul said. "Many licensed individuals are retiring, and this scholarship will help others enter the field, ensuring the trades’ future."

Sherry owns a financial consulting firm -- Bonus Business Services, Inc. -- and teaches business and financial skills to entrepreneurs.

The Konwerskis are no strangers to philanthropy or to VCF. Paul and his siblings previously established a family fund to honor their late parents: Paul and Gloria Konwerski, both lifelong educators.

"Supporting students entering the trades is so important for our community," said Sharon Closius, President and CEO of VCF." Jobs in the trades provide a living wage for young people, teach them self-reliance, and equip them with business skills that offer lifetime job security. This fund will not only help individuals succeed but will also strengthen our local workforce and economy for years to come."

The Paul and Sherry Konwerski-Future Plumbers Scholarship Fund will provide the trade school’s graduates – Paul’s alma mater -- with the financial resources needed to attain apprenticeships by being able to purchase essential plumbing tools and equipment, a critical step for starting a career and gaining the experience required to become licensed. 

“We hope to see the number of licensed plumbers grow as younger people enter the industry and eventually become business owners themselves,” Sherry said. “The Konwerski family has been part of the Valley for generations and we wanted to create something that would continue to help others long after we’re gone.”

Through this scholarship fund, Paul and Sherry want to create a legacy, that others can contribute to, ensuring future generations of skilled tradespeople while continuing to make a profound impact on the Valley community they cherish. The new fund, the couple says, can be built up by family, friends and supporters, and will go on to help students long after they are gone.