The Willoughby Hills Lions Club recently awarded $8,500 to seven graduating seniors, marking its final humanitarian act before it closes this June.
With the Lions Club closing on June 20 due to aging and declining membership, Scholarship Committee member Gloria Majeski said it’s a pleasure to see young people continue the club’s motto, which is “We Serve.”
“The Lions Club was pleased to review the resumes of these fine students with incredible grade point averages and community service,” Majeski said.
For the last 68 years, the Lions Club has served the Willoughby Hills community. Over the course of their existence, the club as awarded 142 scholarships to graduating seniors, organized a Run for the Hills 10K from 1979 to 2017, and held pancake breakfasts from 1962 to 2021.
It has also provided city community days booths, and organized a Poor Man’s Raffle and Dinner and Halloween Boo Bash for charity.
From 1975 to 1990, the club organized Sunday night Bingo, which raised funds to help build the Community Center. In order to continue their humanitarian efforts, the club’s current members are able to join other clubs, including the Willoughby Evening Lions Club or the North Coast Lions Club.
“It has been fun to help so many during the Lions’ existence,” Majeski said. “It will be nice go to out by helping some graduating seniors who are the leaders of tomorrow.”
At South High School’s recent Scholarship Awards Banquet, the following scholarships were awarded:
• Grace Murray received $1,000 and plans to attend Bowling Green State University to pursue a degree in marketing.
• Megan Carroll received $1,000. She plans to use the scholarship toward pharmacy school tuition.
• Sydney Farinacci received $1,000, which she plans to sue toward tuition as she pursues a career to be an athletic trainer.
• Risa Gejendran received $1000 and plans to attend the University of Illinois Chicago to pursue a degree in psychology.
Additionally, Lions Club Scholarship Committee members delivered checks to Connor Valaitis, Mitchell Dodd and Alicia Santagata.
Valaitis, a North High School graduate, received $1,000, which he plans to use to attend Ohio University to pursue optometry.
A graduate of Cornerstone Christian Academy in Willoughby Hills, Dodd received $1,500. He plans to pursue a degree in premed at either Ohio State University, the University of Akron or Toledo University.
Santagata is a Notre Dame-Cathedral Latin graduate and resident of Willoughby Hills. She received $2,000 and plans to attend Ohio University to pursue a career in marketing.
