O’Brien presents Sagamore of the
Wabash to Haitian community leader
STATEHOUSE (Nov. 21, 2023) – State Rep. Tim O’Brien (R-Evansville) recently presented a Sagamore of the Wabash to Gelina Mascoe, founder of the Lumiere D’Education Foundation Inc., an Evansville-based charity organization that helps provides free education to children in Haiti.
Mascoe, who was born in La Gonave, Haiti, became an American citizen in 2007 and works as a real estate broker in Evansville. In 2017, Mascoe founded the Lumiere D’Education Foundation, which operates a school in La Plaine, Haiti, to help Haitian children receive an education, which the government does not fund. Through the foundation, Mascoe has helped over 200 Haitian children go to school, and afford school supplies, textbooks, uniforms, fresh drinking water and a hot meal each day.
“Gelina is a prime example of the American dream coming true,” O’Brien said. “Because of her efforts, so many Haitian children are breaking the cycle of poverty through the power of education, and I commend her continued work to accomplish her mission.”
Visit lumierededucation.org to learn more or to donate to the Lumiere D’Education Foundation Inc.
Mascoe also serves on the board of directors of the Haitian Center of Evansville. The organization helps provide immigration assistance, interpretation services, employment assistance and computer literacy courses to the Haitian community in Evansville.
Dating back to the 1940s, the Sagamore of the Wabash Award was created by former Gov. Ralph Gates. It is the highest honor the governor can bestow and is presented to distinguished Hoosiers who have made significant contributions to the state of Indiana.
