Laurel Hester Memorial Scholarship

The LEAGUE Foundation, working with The Personal Liberty Fund of the New Jersey Lesbian and Gay Coalition, also awards the Laurel Hester Memorial Scholarship.

First awarded in 2006, this scholarship is named after the Ocean County, N.J. Police Lieutenant who successfully battled county freeholders for the right to leave her pension and other benefits to her surviving domestic partner, Stacie Andree.

In 2007 award winning film maker and director Cynthia Wade documented the last days of Laurel's struggle with her illness and with her fight for equality.

"Freeheld" has received many awards with the most notable being the Academy Award (OSCAR(r)) for Best Documentary Short Film and the Special Jury Prize at the 2007 Sundance Film Festival.

Related Websites

• NJ Lesbian and Gay Coalition
• Cynthia Wade
• "Freeheld"