The Rotary Club of Haney has increased its annual bursary awards by $8,000 this year.
The 2019 bursary awards for the Maple Ridge-Pitt Meadows school district will total $19,000 this year, up from $11,000 in 2018.
In past years, the club has given $1,000 bursaries to six applicants under the academic category, two more for arts, as well as two in for apprentices and trades.
A $1,000 bursary is also allocated in the Ken Eis Memorial category. The criteria for that: “The student must show evidence of financial need in the desire to pursue post-secondary studies and the recipient will have been challenged by a disability.”
It was this last category that the committee has chosen to increase this year.
“It’s difficult and stressful enough gaining entry to post-secondary along with the rigorous demands of school, without the added stress of dealing with a disability,” said Haney Rotary vocational chair Terry Becker.“
“We’re just trying to help in whatever small way we can,” added Peter Tam, Haney Rotary president.
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All bursary awards will be made at each of the school’s graduation ceremonies.
As is custom each year, the recipients and their families are invited to a vocational dinner hosted by the Rotary club, at which they share their hopes for post-secondary and beyond.
“It’s a really emotional evening where we celebrate and learn more about the students” Becker added.
• For more information, contact Becker at beckerlaw2@gmail.com or Tam at peter@petertam.ca.
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