"I wasn’t your model student," Perkins said in an interview on Wednesday. "It was more of a last-minute decision to go to college."

So when he finally applied and was accepted to the University of New Hampshire, he was unprepared for how much four years of college would cost.

"I really didn’t have any money; I lived with relatives and on my own," said Perkins.

But with the help of friends and community grants, and by working a couple of jobs each semester, Perkins was able to graduate from UNH. In 1987 he started his own systems integration company. The North Hampton resident’s business, called Darwin Partners, grew steadily and now has 400 employees.

After playing in various charity golf tournaments, Perkins created the Fish House Foundation to raise money for students whose families make too much money to qualify for student loans, but not necessarily enough to pay for college.

"You just always remember where you came from. Hopefully, I can give someone else the same opportunity," said Perkins.

Over the past eight years, the foundation has raised more than $675,000 for scholarships, Perkins said. Starting with enough money for four scholarships, Fish House now gives $2,000 a year to 70 students to attend colleges ranging from Harvard to Plymouth State.

Perkins said the Fish House scholarships don’t necessarily go to students with good grades or athletic abilities, but rather to those who work to give back to their communities.

The eighth annual Fish House Foundation celebrity golf tournament will tee off at noon on Monday at the Abenaqui Country Club in Rye.

In addition, on Sunday night, Hootie and the Blowfish, Sister Hazel and Edwin McCain will perform at the Hampton Casino Ballroom in a concert to benefit the Fish House Foundation. The concert became an annual event a few years after Perkins started the foundation - when he met Darius Rucker, lead singer for Hootie and the Blowfish, at a celebrity golf tournament in South Carolina.

These events are the foundation’s major fund-raiser for the year, Perkins said, adding that he hopes to raise at least $200,000.

For information on the Fish House Foundation, or to apply for a scholarship, visit www.fishhouse.org.

Although the golf tournament is sold out, Perkins said tickets for Sunday’s 7 p.m. concert are still available by calling Ticketmaster at (617) 931-2000 or the Hampton Beach Casino ticket line, at 929-4100. Anyone interested in meeting the bands at a pre-show auction and dinner may purchase VIP tickets by calling Linda Mirasolo at (781) 246-7095.