SIUSLAW NEWS | WEDNESDAY, JUNE 5, 2019 | 7A
CHANTELLE MEYER/SIUSLAW NEWS
The Siuslaw community
awarded 35 SHS seniors
with 137 local scholar-
ships. These include (clock-
wise from top left) the
Arnn Family, Students for a
Better World, Veterans of
Foreign Wars, Police Union
of Florence and CROW.
AWARDS from page 1A
When Soroptimist Inter-
national of Florence pre-
senter Michelle Fraley in-
troduced Soroptimist’s three
awards, she said, “We are
humbled to be able to pro-
vide these awards through
your support of our various
fundraisers. You in essence
have helped us honor these
young ladies and men with
scholarships to further their
dreams and their educa-
tion.”
Gratitude toward Flor-
ence’s fundraising culture
and pride in the Class of
2019’s
accomplishments
were the order for the eve-
ning. Every award, from
$250 up to $20,000, mat-
tered not only to the groups
who provided the funds but
to the students.
Jacquie Beveridge, who
presented the Daughters
of the American Revolu-
tion Scholarship, said, “It’s
not easy to review all those
applications and choose a
recipient. We always wish
we could give one to every
person who applies. And
though our scholarship is
small, we hope it will in
some way make a differ-
ence.”
Following her, Bob Sned-
don, incoming president of
the Florence Kiwanis Club,
replied, “There’s no such
thing as a small scholarship.
It’s not just money. Even a
gift of one or two hundred
bucks, that’s a book or two,
and it also acknowledges
that the community is be-
hind that student.”
Awards came from local
clubs, businesses, service
groups, student support
groups, members of the arts
community and in honor of
individuals who have im-
pacted the Siuslaw region
for the better.
New this year was the
Don Lee Davidson Memori-
al Scholarship, administered
through the Mapleton Lions
Club on behalf of the David-
son family.
“Don Lee dedicated him-
self to business, industry
and the people of the Siu-
slaw region,” said presenter
Jim Grano. “Hundreds of
local high school and col-
lege students found edu-
cation-sustaining summer
employment at Davidson
Industries, and countless
area residents, as many as
450 at a time, had careers
at the mill or in the woods
working for Davidson In-
dustries. Don Lee Davidson
will always be remembered
for his ‘fierce loyalty to his
employees and the commu-
nity, an ever-present spirit
and generosity, and a man
of his word.’”
The first recipient was
Josh Smith, who received
$4,000 towards his future in
trade school or vocational
training.
Another new award this
year was presented by Flor-
ence Regional Arts Alliance
(FRAA) President Kristin
Anderson, who said, “Our
goal is to help young art-
ists make their way into the
world. Although we do not
have it as a requirement
that they have to be going
for a specific art degree, but
rather have as their goal to
continue their art and use it
to make the world a better
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place.”
Similarly, Children’s Rep-
ertory of Oregon Work-
shops (CROW) Musical
Director Maree Beers said,
“At CROW, we believe that
the arts really do matter and
we strive to enrich the lives
of our youth through per-
forming arts opportunities.
… The arts provide valuable
lifelong skills in whatever
path you choose.”
Every year, some of the
awards are in honor of past
students and Siuslaw staff.
SHS Wrestling coach
Neil Wartnik presented
three $2,000 awards for the
Jose De La Mora Memori-
al Scholarship. He said the
wrestling and art student,
who died the summer be-
fore his senior year, was
“a spark of life and joy”
who made a difference and
“brought a spirit of goodwill
to the school.”
The De La Mora family
runs Rosa’s Mexican Restau-
rant and annually hosts a
taco feed to fundraise for
the memorial scholarship.
“Jose De La Mora means
a whole lot to the Siuslaw
High School community
and especially the rest of the
community,” Wartnik add-
ed.
Another legacy scholar-
ship is the Amy Nicole Me-
morial Scholarship, which
“looks at a student who
embodies the spirit, deter-
mination and interest of Ms.
Nicole,” Moser said.
A dozen other awards
in memorium honor the
Future First Citizen — an-
nounced during the Flor-
ence Area Chamber of
Commerce’s Siuslaw Awards
each year — community
service and even member-
ship in the 112th Rhodo-
dendron Festival Court.
“This year we had nine
amazing seniors. I love
them all very much and
am super proud of them,”
said Rhody Court Coordi-
nator Wendy Krause, who
worked with the Senior and
Junior Courts from January
through the Rhododendron
Festival in May. “Thanks to
all of you who supported
them throughout the year,
their parents and the entire
community, we are proud to
say we have $9,000 to give
away tonight.”
There was even a surprise
award when Oregon Pacific
Bank CEO Ron Green said
a client wished to anony-
mously honor a Siuslaw stu-
dent.
“Literally, a check and a
note shows up at my door
one day and says this: ‘Dear
Mr. Green, As OPB clients
and citizens of Florence, we
are inspired to see our local
high school produce some
extraordinarily rare seniors.
In order to empower young
men who want to contin-
ue their education, we have
chosen a student that has
already proven they are a
deserving individual.”
The “bonus” $2,500
scholarship went to Robert
Manns, who was previous-
ly named the SHS Citizen
Leader of the Year.
Another surprise came
from the Siuslaw Athletic
Booster Club, which gave
scholarships to all seven stu-
dents who applied.
“At the end of the day, we
couldn’t keep from honor-
ing them all,” Moser said.
Moser also presented the
Siuslaw Student Body Schol-
arship to two seniors “who
had no idea they applied.”
“Some awards you earn
by filling out an applica-
tion. Other awards require
an essay, activities chart
or resume. For the Siuslaw
Student Body Scholarship,
there is no application. The
only way to apply to this
award is to do your best,
to reach higher and to do
more than you thought you
were capable of doing. And
for each of the students
awarded, this is just part of
their personality. Addition-
ally, it takes someone who
has an incredible potential
to continue on their good
deeds beyond their time
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at Siuslaw,” he said. “The
students selected this year
have no idea they even ap-
plied for it, but for the Siu-
slaw staff, we want to make
sure these students know
how much we’ve appre-
ciated their kindness and
compassion over the years
and how their hard work,
respect and determination
have not gone unnoticed.
These students demon-
strate the traits that we
hope to instill in all of our
graduates and we are all ex-
cited to see where they take
their next steps. We know
they will do it with a huge
smile and an unparalleled
level of joy.”
He named the SHS Stu-
dent Body Scholarship re-
cipients as Hailee Edgerly
and Nic Wilkinson.
Later in the night, Siuslaw
Alumni Association award-
ed three $3,500 scholar-
ships, with a portion of the
funds coming from dona-
tions in memory of board
member Mona Meink Slo-
cum, class of 1949, “the
spark plug” of the alumni
organization who was ac-
tive through 2018.
“I represent an exclusive
club of Siuslaw High School
students,” said Allyn Wil-
son, class of 1969, who gave
a rundown of his family
history and connection to
the Siuslaw region. His wife
graduated in the class of
1968, his sons in 1998 and
2000, both of his parents in
1948 and his grandmother
in the class of 1921. “My
grandmother actually said
her class made the decision
between Florence Union
High School and Siuslaw
Union High School.”
His history goes back fur-
ther yet, to a great-grand-
father who homesteaded
the Upper Siuslaw River at
Johnston Creek.
“I have a unique responsi-
bility. Siuslaw Alumni folks
work very hard to raise this
money,” Wilson said.
Proceeds for the alum-
ni scholarships come from
the All-School Reunion
Banquet raffle, which takes
place this year on Sept. 21.
More information on the
alumni association can
be found at www.siuslaw
alumni.org.
Florence Rotary Club
gave out 11 scholarships to-
taling $37,500.
“Florence Rotary Club is
pleased to be able to invest
and follow up with students
over the years,” said Rotar-
ian Andy Johnson. “It’s the
real privilege of those in the
club to award the recipients
with money for college and
also follow up with them
down the road.”
He also invited recipi-
ents to attend weekly Rota-
ry meetings at the Florence
Events Center.
Western Lane Communi-
ty Foundation also award-
ed $37,500, this time in 21
awards.
In conclusion, Moser
said, “I just want to thank
the providers in the room
once again for all that you
do. I know graduation is a
great night as well, but this
is one of those nights where
it’s so magical. Every high
school that’s going to have
a graduation is maybe going
to have a scholarship night,
but nobody does it like this.
This is so individual to us
and it’s because of you out
there, our audience and our
providers, the community
of Florence.”
He thanked the students
again, as well as the coun-
seling staff, volunteers with
ASPIRE and more who
helped the students com-
plete applications and make
their plans for after gradua-
tion.
As Tatum said at the be-
ginning of the night, “The
Class of 2019 has a bright
future ahead of them —
thanks in large part to all of
you.”
Siuslaw High School’s
Class of 2019 Graduation
will be this Friday, June 7,
at 7 p.m. at the Siuslaw High
School Gym.
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