When you turn on the TV and see the world going crazy with violence and hatred, it can only make the appreciation for a night like Monday even sweeter. Nowhere else in the world does a community come together and support a graduating class of seniors with hundreds of thousands of dollars in scholarships except in a gym, in a tiny little school district, in a tiny little town, filled with people with amazingly big hearts.
The donations flowed in a two-hour ceremony that began with a tasty barbecue dinner prepared by Steve and Terri Rhoades. Once our bellies were happy and full, organization after organization came forward and gave away check after check to allow students to continue their education without the burden of onerous college debt. The presenter's stories were touching. Lilah Shapiro, granddaughter of Michael L. Shapiro, a mere 13-year-old girl, was eloquent, sharing her love of her grandfather, and presenting scholarships to students just a few years older than herself. Other scholarships honored beloved community members or their family members. Civic organizations honored students with attributes valued in their charters. The list went on and on with the Anderson Valley Education Foundation providing $65,000 in scholarships and Robert Anderson presented more than $300,000 in scholarships from the Robert Mailer Anderson and Nicola MIner Foundation along with a keepsake book—a legacy of generosity from an alumni that attended Anderson Valley 26 years ago.
The immensity of this event and impact was plain to see with one of our young ladies trembling and speechless at the end of the evening because she was realizing in her head that in two hours her community had just paid for her college degree. It doesn’t happen anywhere else.
We are grateful…
Navy Recognition
AV CSEA
Anderson Valley Firefighters Association
American Legion
Unity Club
Lions Club
Anderson Valley Grange Dusenberry Memorial
AV Teachers Association
Michael L. Shapiro Memorial
AV Arts
Yorkville Scholarship
Cheri Fish Memorial
Independent Career Women
AV Boosters
William Sterling Memorial
AV Education Foundation
Robert Mailer Anderson and Nicola Miner Scholarships