SCHOLARSHIP WINNERS For 2013 ANNOUNCED BY WOODRIDGE ROTARY CLUB

At its annual officer induction dinner recently, the Woodridge Rotary Club announced Maddie Kuerschner and William Dawes as winners of its 2013 “Service Above Self” college scholarship awards.  These annual scholarships provide financial support to Woodridge students who have made exceptional service contributions to their community. Rotary’s motto is Service Above Self, and these two students are outstanding models of putting the motto into effect. 

Kuerschner (shown here with outgoing Club President and Woodridge Mayor Gina Cunningham-Picek Treasurer Tom Manno, and Rotarian Jim Picek) is a graduate of Downers Grove South High School. She has worked for several years rebuilding and fixing houses for those in need through Group Workcamps. In addition to this, she has volunteered numerous hours at Oak Trace Assisted Living helping people with physical disabilities and dementia, for the organization Feed My Starving Children, and for Toys for Tots.

William Dawes, a Montini graduate, was named to the Daily Herald 2012-13 Leadership Team which recognizes students who excel in volunteerism and community service.  He has had many service projects, but his Eagle Scout status was earned at Fisher House at Hines Veterans Hospital where he put provided resources to be used by the families of veterans undergoing treatment at Hines.  He is also a long-time volunteer at the Woodridge Public Library. Dawes is pictured with outgoing Rotary Club President Gina Cunningham-Picek and Treasurer Tom Manno.

Both of these Woodridge residents will receive $2000 scholarships to the colleges of their choice.

Also announced at the induction dinner were the recipients of the first ever Steve Herron Making a Difference Scholarship. Herron, a Rotary member and former Chief of Police in Woodridge, was instrumental in the development of the Woodridge Community Resource Center which he believed could make a difference in the lives of the people who live in its neighborhood.  These scholarship awards are directed to those who attended or volunteered or did both at the Resource Center. All four of the students receiving these new awards are graduates of Downers Grove South High School.

Diana Lynn Lara, a 2012 graduate, was awarded $2000. She attended the Resource Center for 5 years as a student and has volunteered nearly 400 hours there since 2005 in order to give back for what she felt she received from the CRC in personal development and skills.  Ryan Morrissey from the Class of 2013, received $1000. His volunteer hours at the CRC spurred him on to other volunteer projects at the West Suburban Food Pantry. Kailei Malauskas  and Rocco Zucchero, both 2013 grads, were each awarded $500 for their many volunteer hours at the CRC over the past two years.

Rotary is an international, humanitarian service organization. These students have significantly contributed their time and efforts to the service of others in the spirit of Rotary. The total value of the scholarships given out this year was $8000.