How do you begin a thank you letter for a scholarship you never applied for?

Paying for College
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<p>HELP – it’s been a week I still don’t know how to approach this.</p>

<p>I was really pleasantly surprised, but I have still no idea how to begin my thank you letter. I’m really honoured to have been chosen as their winner – it’s a $500 “Bucks for Books” scholarship by the “Friends of the South Portland Public Library”.</p>

<p>Firstly, I never applied for the award. I never wrote an essay. Maybe they had contacted the guidance department and asked for copies of essays I had already written for other scholarships, but other than that, I am clueless.</p>

<p>Secondly, I completely missed the description of the award during Senior Awards Night because I didn’t even know I had won anything nor had I expected to win anything (even funnier, after that I ended up winning an even larger award), so I was completely unprepared when they called my name. So I only have a vague idea about what it would have been awarded for.</p>

<p>Thirdly, I’ve only borrowed one book from my town’s public library because the next town’s university library is larger. But the people at my town’s public library are really nice and I do visit it when I get locked out of my house, for example. But other than that I don’t think it’s for patronage.</p>

<p>I just want to compose a really thoughtful thank-you letter, especially since I was the only winner. I don’t want to discourage them from awarding it to a deserving student next year. Surely someone has been in a situation like this before?</p>

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<p>Dear Friends of the South Portland Public Library,</p>

<p>Thank you so very much for your generous scholarship award. As you know, I will be attending XYZ University this fall. The funds that your organization have awarded me will be used toward the purchase of my textbooks and other materials necessary for my classes.</p>

<p>I truly appreciate your support.</p>

<p>Most sincerely yours,</p>

<p>galoisien</p>

<p>Don’t worry about how they got your name. They may not even have an application process for the scholarship, and may just get recommendations every year from the guidance office. The important thing is that you express appreciation in your letter - AND THAT YOU SEND IT SOON!</p>