Amenia Fire Company and Wassaic Ladies Auxiliary award scholarships

Amenia Fire Company and Wassaic Ladies Auxiliary award scholarships
From left, Liam Murphy, Wassaic Ladies Auxiliary President Bonnie Howard, Cassidy Howard, Karlie Klingner and Amenia Fire Company President Rich Howard posed for a celebratory photo after the Amenia Fire Company and the Ladies Auxiliary awarded the students scholarships on Wednesday evening, July 7.
Photo by Kaitlin Lyle

AMENIA — Celebrating the achievements of their community’s rising scholars, both the Amenia Fire Company and the Wassaic Ladies Auxiliary joined together to help send this year’s graduates out into the future on a strong footing by awarding a few local standouts college scholarships on Wednesday, July 7.

Starting at 7 p.m., the scholarships were at the forefront of the Amenia Fire Company’s meeting agenda on Wednesday evening. Directing the company’s attention to the scholastic awards, Amenia Fire Company President Rich Howard announced that every year, the Fire Company offers a scholarship to each child of a Fire Company member. Each scholarship totals $250 for their first semester and $500 for their second semester.

One by one, Howard called the names of the recipients, each of whom stepped forward to shake his hand and accept their award. This year’s recipients included Kadence Bracey (who was unable to attend the meeting), Liam Murphy, Karlie Klingner and Cassidy Howard.

“Congratulations as you prepare for the future,” Howard said once all of the recipients had received their scholarships and returned to their seats.

On behalf of the Wassaic Ladies Auxiliary, Auxiliary President Bonnie Howard awarded this year’s Auxiliary scholarships to Murphy, Klingner and Howard, totaling $300 each. 

As they were invited up to the front of the room to retrieve their awards, each recipient was encouraged to talk about their future plans with the company.

Having recently graduated from Webutuck High School, Klingner said she plans to attend Cornell University in Ithaca, N.Y., for veterinary school to study large animal surgery. 

A graduate of Housatonic Valley Regional High School in Falls Village, Conn., Murphy shared his plans to attend Siena College in Loudonville, N.Y. While he was enrolling with an undeclared major, he said he has an interest in psychology. 

Howard shared her plans to attend SUNY Cobleskill to pursue equine studies.

With generous applause, Amenia Fire Company members congratulated this year’s scholarship winners and wished them good luck before returning their attention back to the meeting.

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