Rotary Club presents three scholarships in virtual meeting

On Tuesday, May 19, the Rotary Club of Belleville held its 75th annual scholarship program using Zoom technology. Three $5,000 scholarships were awarded to graduates who live in the Belleville area.
The two academic scholarships went to Collin Patrick Attard and Haley Rae Bellingham; and the Community Service scholarship to Joseph Randall Budd.
Belleville Rotary Club President Rachel Kozlowski offered welcoming remarks followed by 34th District Court Judge David Parrott’s introduction of keynote speaker Mike Kole, chairman of the Kole Performance Group and interim director of the Belleville Area Chamber of Commerce. Kole also is a Professor of Leadership at Northwood University.
Kole’s presentation, directed primarily at the student awardees, described historical challenges in previous generations that were often met and solved by dreamers — men and women — who pursued their challenges with persistence and overcame the roadblocks that were in their way.
He suggested we all should find our dream. Then he explained that whatever a person’s dream might be — even if it is unclear how it can be realized — should be pursued, going as far as they can see, because at that point they will recognize other previously unforeseen opportunities and they can progress. It will be through this persistent process that our current generation of dreamers will recognize and resolve the issues that face them and us, he said.
Following Kole’s address, the scholarship presentations were made by members of the Belleville club’s Scholarship Committee: Rotarians Glenn Silvenis and Judge Parrott, with President Kozlowski presenting the final award. The awardees thanked Rotary and spoke about their plans going forward and how the scholarships will assist them in reaching academic goals.
After the presentations, President Kozlowski thanked all the virtual attendees, the scholarship committee and any others whose work made the evening possible.
Since its inception, Rotary Club of Belleville has awarded a total of $567,500 to Belleville High School students in the club’s scholarship program. This year, as in recent years, the primary funding source for the program has been the Charles B. Cozadd Rotary Foundation which assists the club in the funding or partial funding of many of its projects.