Our Mission
The mission of the Lynn Foundation is to help create a better tomorrow by investing in the High Desert today. We accomplish this through the education of our youth and the improvement of our community.
The Lynn Foundation awards scholarships each year to students of the High Desert. We are particularly interested in those who are pursuing the science, technology, engineering, and math (STEM) courses of study. We also offer a scholarship exclusively for students pursuing visual and performing arts in honor of George Frey.
Whenever feasible, the Lynn Foundation will join other local foundations with similar goals, such as local fine arts and science groups. The High Desert community has a wealth of talented and dedicated people with the potential to make it a model to be followed by others. Standing together in a united effort, we can harness that talent and build this dream into a reality.
Today
Today, the Lynn Foundation is overseen by Kelly Perdue. Gifting decisions are currently made by a committee of three individuals who are long-time High Desert businessmen. The Foundation currently gives away tens of thousands of dollars each year in grants and scholarships to students from the High Desert.
Berneice U. Lynn
On
22 June 1907, Berneice Uldine Scullin was born to a well-to-do family in Dedham, Iowa, which provided her with
many opportunities growing up. She loved to dance and had many friends.
As a young woman, she married Donald C. Lynn. Together they purchased and operated four gas stations in Los Angeles County, California. Later they purchased a meat packing plant as well. The two enjoyed a good life in California. Although they had no children, they enjoyed their sail boat and often took friends to Catalina Island. On one trip, they encountered a large storm and were presumed lost at sea.
Berneice was a real estate
broker and developer at a time when women in the business world were few and far between. In 1956, not long after
her divorce from Donald Lynn, she built the Lynn Building in Apple Valley, California, across the street from St.
Mary's Hospital. It began as a small strip mall that included a pharmacy. In 1962, the resident pharmacist, Don
Bigler, suggested to Berneice that she convert the mall into a medical building, which she readily agreed to do.
Mrs. Lynn loved to travel and visited many countries around the world. Her favorite was Thailand, which she visited at least twice, and from which she had many fond memories. Inspired by her love of the orient, the Lynn Building was given a subtle oriental flair when it was remodelled in the early 1990's, setting it apart from other buildings in the area. She received letters from community officials expressing appreciation for the upgrades.
Around the same time the building was converted into medical suites, Mrs. Lynn married William Hull and decided to move her residence to Apple Valley. She loved being an important and recognized member of the local community, and built a home that became a principal landmark in the town to ensure her legacy.
This home was designed by E.A. Thompson of
San Francisco and built by Wright C. Kemp. Unique in both design and construction, the Lynn House is built on rocks
with steel I-beams and glass. It was designed as a one bedroom home with a small office, gourmet kitchen, large
living and family rooms, downstairs maid's quarters, and his and hers bathrooms in the master suite. It
included some remarkable features in its design including curving shower stalls that do not require doors, a
jacuzzi tub, and a low voltage electrical system that could be entirely controlled from the master bedroom. The
kitchen had two dishwashers, a sub-zero refrigerator and freezer, an indoor barbecue grill, bun warmer and a low
sink accessible to wheelchairs. Outside, the house features a pool & whirlpool with a hydraulic cover that
completely seals it from the elements and neighborhood children. The home was purchased by J.W. Faherty (a local
building developer) in 2002 and was beautifully restored. It has since been purchased by Andrew Thorn and is used
for business meetings and retreats.
From this remarkable residence, a fabulous view of the entire valley stretches to the horizon. Berneice loved to watch sunsets from her glass-walled living room, telling visitors about local history and pointing out landmarks. Many people were entertained in her home over the years, putting her kitchen and love of cooking to good use. She amassed a collection of cook books that would rival a large bookstore. She hoped that others would someday enjoy the view and grow to love and appreciate the High Desert as she did.
In January 1973, Mrs. Lynn divorced Mr. Hull. Some years later, on 17 December 1981, Berneice married the builder of the Lynn House, Wright C. Kemp. Mrs. Lynn loved Mr. Kemp and said he was the best part of her life. A kind and generous, decorated retired colonel in the Army, Mr. Kemp was a widower. He and Berneice enjoyed a few months of marital bliss together before he died in 1982. Because of her love for him, the Lynn Foundation community grants are given in his honor.
Mrs. Lynn was a member of the Eastern Star and was a founding member of the St. Mary's Hospital Executive Council, formed in 1974 as an advisory committee and liaison to the community.
In her desire to continue to influence and improve the High Desert, she dedicated her estate to the community through the Lynn Foundation, whose gifts of scholarships and community grants grow each year. Through these gifts, she continues to touch many lives.
Berneice U. Lynn died of pneumonia complications on October 15, 1992, in Victorville, California.
The Col. Wright C. Kemp Award
Col. Wright C. Kemp was the general contractor for the Lynn House and later married Mrs. Lynn. He was a decorated combat veteran and a skilled builder.
The Lynn Foundation gives a limited number of grants to educational institutions and other worthy causes from time to time. Please note that these grants are ONLY given to institutions and causes in the Southern California High Desert. Others will not be considered.
The number and size of the grants depend upon need and available funds and are usually limited to science and technology. Whether or not a grant will be offered is entirely at the discretion of the Trust Committee. The preference of the Trust committee is to make matching gifts, although this is not an exclusive rule.
To apply for The Col. Wright C. Kemp Award, send a letter to the Trustees describing your need, other available funds, endorsements, and any other information you believe will assist the Committee in making a decision.
Mail your request to:
Kelly Perdue, Trustee Lynn Foundation
4075 Harrison St. #2
Carlsbad, CA 92008.
Lynn Foundation Scholarships
Education is an essential part of building a strong community. Accordingly, college scholarships form the primary means by which the Lynn Foundation contributes to the growth and improvement of the High Desert. These scholarships are only awarded to students who are from the High Desert. The forms needed to apply for Lynn Foundation scholarships are listed below.
Lynn Foundation Scholarship Application
Lynn Foundation Scholarship Renewal
Application
George Frey Arts Scholarship
Mr. George Frey lived and worked as a real estate broker in Apple Valley. A dedicated humanitarian, he began the Apple Valley Arts Foundation and struggled to make it a success. After his death, the Apple Valley Arts Foundation was not able to continue and its remaining assets were donated to the Lynn Foundation. Accordingly, the Lynn Foundation gives at least one scholarship each year to an outstanding and promising art student from the California High Desert in the name of Mr. George Frey.
To apply for this scholarship, a student must fill out The George Frey Arts Scholarship Cover Page to add to either the Lynn Foundation Scholarship Application or the Lynn Foundation Scholarship Renewal Application listed above. An essay must be included per instructions in the appropriate application.