CALEDONIA — The Morrow County Women held their annual dinner and scholarship auction Thursday, April 7 at Marion Salem United Methodist Church. The auction raised $8,670 toward college scholarships for female seniors in Morrow County.
More than 60 attendees enjoyed dinner before the auction began. Members and community members or businesses donated items for the auction and Dan Boysel served as auctioneer.
LeAnne Gompf said, “Our goal is that everything we raise tonight will be given out this spring. Hopefully we can give out more than we did last year.”
They achieved that goal.
Gompf recognized/introduced Morrow County Women President Robin Jordan, and other members who helped organize the event: Susie Lisle, Deb Snell, and Connie McChesney.
Prior to the auction, Lacey Baldwin shared her experience as a 2020 scholarship recipient.
“This scholarship really influenced me, from the time I applied for it all the way until I found out I had received it.”
The scholarship application includes a prompt to write an essay about a woman in her life who had influenced or inspired her. She chose to write about two significant women in her life: her seventh grade teacher Mrs. Smith and her mother.
“Mrs. Smith instilled in me I wanted to help people and have an impact on other childrens’ lives and be a role model for them. So that’s why I chose to write about her,” Baldwin said.
Of her mother’s influence she said, “My mom has always been a great role model for me; she’s very determined, she works very hard, and she’s always been very devoted to our family in making sure I’m taken care of, my little brother is taken care of, and she has to take care of my dad, too,” she said.
“She’s been a great role model for me and someone I want to be like when I grow up.
“Overall, I think this scholarship is great. It’s really help me to where I am now.”
She decided to go into Nursing and is currently studying at Marion Technical College. This scholarship has really helped me. In my first semester, it almost covered my full tuition. And I’m almost to the end of my sophomore year in college and I’ve accumulated no college debt,” she said to considerable applause. “Overall, I think this is an amazing program and I appreciate everything it does and all of the role models of strong women that this program has offered to young women in our community.”
Morrow County Women President Robin Jordan, “That’s inspirational. It’s good to see firsthand the good work we’re going to do tonight.”
Jordan read the auction item descriptions as Boysel called the bidding with considerable good humor.
Auctioned items included baskets with goat soap, snacks, cookies, gift certificates and much more. Some of the bigger ticket items included coolers of meat, a leaded glass art piece, and a live edge coffee table.
The scholarships will be awarded to high school seniors.
