There are few better ways to become inspired to strive for the best than to be recognized for your hard work by highly successful community leaders, educators and donors at an elegant reception. Duff and Pat Scott welcomed 200 guests and generous supporters to their new, dazzling riverfront home for this year’s annual Orchid Island Outreach Cocktail Party, honoring Orchid scholars and the benefactors who made the scholarships possible.
Orchid Island Outreach has been awarding scholarships to Indian River County first responders and their children since 2001, presenting the first one to John O’Connor, Indian River County’s current Firefighter Association president. The program was developed by the late Mary Ellen Strawser and Nancy Bryson, partnering with the Scholarship Foundation of Indian River County, to assist those students to obtain a college education.
The program has since grown to include Orchid Island employees and their children, first responder family members, and local students attending Indian River State College.
“I think it is very exciting because most of our public safety employees in Indian River County make below $40,000 per year and trying to raise a family and put a child through higher education is always difficult,” said Indian River County Sheriff Deryl Loar. “Without these scholarships, most public safety families would not have this first step and we are just honored that Orchid supports our first responders.”
Chairperson Tracy Lamport said she got involved because she knows the money will help individuals working within their community or at the fire house, located just outside Orchid’s main entrance.
“I feel that we all have to do something for the younger generation that has trouble going to school,” said Lamport. “It is also important for our employees to know that if they qualify, we will help them get an education. We have a responsibility for that and it is very dear to my heart.”
To ensure that 100 percent of contributions are used for scholarships, the cocktail party is funded by the members of the Outreach committee, who also did an outstanding job preparing and passing about an impressive assortment of hors d’oeuvres.
Ten students were awarded scholarships this year. Recipients through the Indian River State College Scholarship endowment were: Nicole Bolton, Jacquelyn Maranitz, Matthew Redstone, Diana Rugani and Wayan Sutriasa.
The 2014 recipients through the Scholarship Foundation of IRC endowment were: Lexis Choi, Richard Marini, Kylie McCarty, Samuel Miller and Nicholas Ramirez.
Several scholarship winners were able to attend and thank the group personally, while others sent representatives.
Scholarship recipient Mike Redstone, son of Town of Orchid Chief of Police Phil Redstone, was unable to attend because of his job as an IT assistant at the Indian River Sheriff’s Department. In his place, scholarship liaison Donna Thrailkill read an email from him, thanking the committee for the scholarship which he said would help him complete his higher education and serve this community for the next 30 years.
“Receiving this scholarship has helped me out greatly chasing my dream. I could not attend because I am working my dream job. You could never know how much this scholarship has lessened by burden to achieve my goals,” wrote Redstone.
