The Tripoli-Frederika Dollars for Scholars was started in 1981 by Joyce Harms.  At that time, an opportunity for a $2,000 matching grant from the McElroy Trust to start a local Dollars for Scholars chapter was available. 

The goal was to raise $2,000, through bake sales and a lemonade and cookie stand in Bremer when RAGBRAI came through that year.  That was also the first year for the Phone-A-Thon, which raised $5,000 that year.  Joyce also contacted friends to donate larger sums.  In all, $2,500 each was given that year by Joyce and Richard Harms, Verne Schildroth, and John Williams in memory of his wife, Judy.