OGDENSBURG — Curtis Richardson, professor of wetland ecology at Duke University and a native of Ogdensburg, returned this week for his 50th high school reunion with a $20,000 donation by the class of 1962 dedicated to establishing an alumni scholarship at Ogdensburg Free Academy.

“I have been very successful with my career based on my education at OFA,” he said, adding that he now desires to give back to the school that gave him so much.

Mr. Richardson said he hopes the donation will spur further fundraising.

“The fund will be run by the Northern New York (Community) Foundation out of Watertown,” he said, the goal of which is to invest the money in such a way that a permanent scholarship can be established.

“Once we get it in place, we are going to try to contact other alumni classes,” he said.

The OFA Alumni Scholarship Fund, as it will be known, will give two scholarships every year to students who meet academic- and need-based requirements. One scholarship will go to students in the general program, another to students in technical fields.

Helping Mr. Richardson to establish the fund are 1962 graduates including Charlie Gogolak, Judy Longshore, Robert Malley, Jim Heagle and Louis Dodd. Organizers hope to raise at least $50,000 more for the scholarship.

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