The Patterson Rotary, a club of 38 local community members, has awarded $7,000 in college scholarships to six college-bound area seniors.
"This year we received a record number of applications from many highly qualified students," said Mary Cay Nilsen, chairperson of the Scholarship Committee. "To be eligible for these awards we expect a high level of community service or someone who has a high level of commitment to family, work, and school."
The Rotary Club offers five different awards each year for a variety of Community Service achievements. In 2019, they added a sixth award to honor Geoffrey Reinwald, a long time Rotary member that wanted to highlight a young person who may not have had the time for a large community project but found extraordinary ways to give back and demonstrate a "Service Above Self" mentality.
The recipients of the 2020 Patterson Rotary Scholarship are:
Olivia Roman - Olivia is the recipient of the William H. Kiernan award for Community Service. She has logged over 3,000 hours as an ambassador for the Tourette's Association of America. She also founded the Carmel Cares Thrift Shop in Carmel High School. She will major in Broadcast Journalism at E. W. Scripps School of Journalism at Ohio University.
Riley Damiano - Riley is the recipient of the Community Service award. She is the founder of The Blue Lollipop Project and has raised over $20,000 for kids with cancer. Riley is a member of the Patterson Interact Club and has demonstrated a high level of leadership and innovation in her extracurricular activities at school and in the community.
Bene Farrell - Extraordinary volunteerism and dedication made Bene the recipient of the Geoffrey Reinwald Award for Inventiveness. Bene has volunteered at many community events and organizations including Camp Herrlich, PARC, various blood drives, Patterson Rotary's Men Who Cook and the Carmel Tree Lighting. Leading by doing is Bene's strong point.
Noah Wahl - A winner of the Community Service Award, Noah's Eagle Scout service project was to build a 14-foot gazebo for his church. The project was dedicated to the memory of the late wife of the Deacon. He is a varsity football player, Kent Police Cadet, and has volunteered at roadside and trail cleanups.
Courtney Smith - It is easy to see why Courtney was a recipient of one of the Community Service awards. She was a volunteer at the 4-H Fair, CoveCare, Putnam Cap, Plaza at Clove Lake, and helped organize a fundraiser for the Patterson Pirates softball team. A well-deserved award for a rising star in our community.
Sarah Durante - Sarah would like to be a Pediatric Neurologist. She is a highly motivated young woman and is a clear example of what it means to put service above self. Sarah's many accomplishments include being a founder of several projects at Maria Fareri Children’s Hospital, and a volunteer at Putnam Humane Society, Green Chimneys, and her Sunday School.
Patterson Rotary wishes all our scholarship recipients good luck and is inspired by their creativity and dedication to the community. Visit Patterson Rotary Club on the web, facebook and twitter
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