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PAGE A10, KEIZERTIMES, JUNE 12, 2020 KEIZERTIMES.COM Donahue receives fi rst Chris Holt Scholarship File Regann Donahue looks to attack the West Albany defense in a McNary girls lacrosse game from last spring. Donahue was the recipient of the fi rst Chris Holt Scholarship on behalf of McNary Youth Baseball. BY MATT RAWLINGS Of the Keizertimes Regann Donahue has taken great pride in being a student-athlete at McNary High. She has played on the Celtics varsity girls’ soccer team for the last three sea- sons and became a stand- out on the McNary lacrosse squad in 2019 — Donahue plans on playing lacrosse in college at Eastern Oregon University (EOU). In the classroom, Dona- hue is just as fi erce, posting a 3.7 grade-point-average with the aim of going into the EOU nursing program. These are just some of the reasons Donahue was select- ed as the recipient of the fi rst annual Chris Holt Schol- arship from McNary Youth Baseball (MYB). “I was so overwhelmed when I found out. I could not be more grateful,” Do- nahue said. The scholarship was cre- ated in memory of Chris Holt, a 13-year-old Keizer resident and youth base- ball player, who passed away from leukemia in 2003. The scholarship will be awarded once a year and is for any senior who has been active in sports at McNary. Indianna, who was one year Recipients will be award- old at the time, was in need ed $1,000 to offset costs of of a foster family after it was continuing education at any determined that her biolog- post-high school education- ical parents were not in the al, technical or vocational in- correct mental state to raise a child. stitution. Later that month, the Do- However, MYB want- ed to award this scholarship nahue clan went from fi ve to someone who was about members to six as they de- cided to take more than just in Indianna. their studies Right from and sports. “ I was so over- the start, Do- Part of the whelmed when nahue fell in application love with her process was I found out. I new sister. to write an could not be “The essay essay about was emotion- what sacri- more grateful.” al for me to fi ce means to — Regann Donahue write because them, along I can’t imag- with giving a ine my life personal ex- ample of how sacrifi ce has without my little sister,” Do- nahue said. played a part in their lives. However, the next couple When Donahue was giv- en this task, she knew exactly years wouldn’t be easy. Since what she was going to write Indianna was still in the fos- ter care system, DHS would about. In her essay, Donahue stop by their house once a talked about the process of week and often meander her family adopting her little through Donahue’s personal belongings. sister, Indianna. “DHS is very meticulous. In December of 2014, Donahue’s parents received It was really weird having a letter from the Depart- someone go through your ment of Human Services stuff every week,” Donahue (DHS) saying that they had a family member in need. Please see DONAHUE, Page A9 Ebbs wins Gatorade Player of the Year award BY MATT RAWLINGS Of the Keizertimes Taylor Ebbs has gotten accustomed to receiving ac- colades for her outstanding softball play — she was the Mountain Valley Conference Player of the Year last season as a sophomore. But on Thursday, May 28, Ebbs received the highest in- dividual honor of her career as the McNary junior was named the 2019-20 Gato- rade Oregon Softball Player of the Year. “It really didn’t hit me at fi rst when I found out. After it settled in, it was just a big ‘wow’ moment for me. I’ve honestly never felt so hon- ored and recognized,” Ebbs said. Ebbs’ play on the fi eld speaks for itself. Although her high school season got cancelled this year due to COVID-19, Ebbs was a standout shortstop for Northwest Bullets ASA 18-and-under club in the fall. She batted .414 and had an on-base percentage of .528 against elite national competition. The stellar play of Ebbs has been even more profound at the high school level. With a career batting average of .596 along with 99 hits, 96 runs batted in, 73 runs scored and Keizertimes Wheatland Publishing Corp. 142 Chemawa Road N. • Keizer, Oregon 97303 Phone: 503.390.1051 • www.keizertimes.com File McNary shortstop Taylor Ebbs gets ready to throw out a run- ner at fi rst base in a game from last season. MANAGING EDITOR SUBSCRIPTIONS Eric A. Howald editor@keizertimes.com One year: $35 in Marion County, $43 outside Marion County, $55 outside Oregon ASSOCIATE EDITOR Matt Rawlings news@keizertimes.com PUBLISHED EVERY FRIDAY COMMUNITY REPORTER Publication No: USPS 679-430 Lauren Murphy reporter@keizertimes.com POSTMASTER Send address changes to: ADVERTISING Stephanie Wittman advertising@keizertimes.com PRODUCTION MANAGER & GRAPHIC DESIGNER EDITOR & PUBLISHER Andrew Jackson graphics@keizertimes.com LEGAL NOTICES legals@keizertimes.com Lyndon Zaitz publisher@keizertimes.com 2019-2020 President Oregon Newspaper Publishers Association Keizertimes Circulation 142 Chemawa Road N. Keizer, OR 97303 Periodical postage paid at Salem, Oregon BUSINESS MANAGER Leah Stevens billing@keizertimes.com RECEPTION Lori Beyeler facebook.com/keizertimes twitter.com/keizertimes a .970 slugging percentage, Ebbs has proven she is one of the top players in the coun- try — she gave her verbal commitment to the Univer- sity of Kentucky and is con- sidered the No. 49 recruit in the Class of 2021 by Extra Inning Softball. However, the student-ath- letes who win this award are not only excellent in their individual sport, they are also people that exude exempla- ry character and are diligent about their studies. “Taylor’s a well-round- ed person. She’s much more than an athlete,” McNary head coach Kevin Wise said. “She’s an amazing young lady on and off the softball fi eld and she is not only in- volved at her school, she’s involved in the community, which speaks volumes about her.” Along with being a star softball player, Ebbs is also an all-league volleyball standout for the Celtics. And when she isn’t competing, you will often see her supporting her classmates at other McNary athletic events. “I’m appreciative of the support we get at our games, so I want to support the oth- er McNary teams any chance I get. That stuff is really fun for me,” Ebbs said. However, as it relates to school, Ebbs made it clear that academics come fi rst. Ebbs currently maintains a 3.59 grade-point-average in the classroom and occasional- ly enrolls in advanced-place- ment classes. “I want to play sports but I need my education. That is why academics are a priori- ty for me. It’s all about man- aging your time well,” Ebbs said. Time management is an important aspect for Ebbs because it not only gives her the ability to prioritize her studies, it also gives her the bandwidth to serve her community in a multitude of Please see EBBS, Page A9
