Marine Corps Base Quantico -- The Quantico Officers Spouses Organization (QOSO) held its annual scholarship reception recently aboard Marine Corps Base Quantico, where they presented graduating seniors and undergraduate college students with scholarships and awarded grants to local chapters of charities.

QOSO has been in existence for more than 20 years and its mission is to support the military community. Officers’ spouse’s organizations originally formed out of a need to support the troops. For example, in the beginning of the organizations, spouses banded together to provide meals to troops and tend to the wounded returning home from wars.

However, throughout the years, the needs of the military community have changed and grown. Today, the desire for higher education has become an important part of the community mindset as society’s needs require a more educated citizenship. QOSO has taken steps to fulfill that need by expanding its mission to raise money for student scholarships and provide grants to the local chapters of charities. Each year, the organization works throughout the summer to plan and prepare a year full of activities and fundraising efforts that will help them meet their fundraising goal.

Over the past two decades, QOSO has been able to give more than $300,000 in scholarships and community grants. This year QOSO met its goal of raising $25,000 for the education and charity programs, which they awarded to 13 students and five charities.

For more information on QOSO, visit www.qoso.org.