League for Service announces scholarships, community grants
Each year, Hudson League for Service presents a scholarship to the high school student who has demonstrated the spirit of volunteering. The 2023 recipient, Easton Rowell, had an impressive number of service hours in a wide variety of sectors such as serving as president for Hudson Community First Youth Board, Camp Celebrate volunteer, Ambassadors Soccer Club assistant coach and Akron Emergency Homeless Shelter sheet and pillow drive coordinator. His recommendation letters noted leadership, compassion, character and service traits.
In the prompt where Easton was asked to share a situation where his volunteering made a difference, he shared that he heard an announcement at his church that the Akron Emergency Overnight Shelter was turning people away because of inadequate bedding due to the extremely cold temperatures in February 2022. That announcement hit Easton hard, and he created pamphlets and distributed them to family and friends to ask for donations of bedding. He collected sheet sets and pillows. When he delivered them, he heard more about the gravity of the situation and that the donation would enable 60 more homeless to have a warm safe haven from the bitter outdoors. Easton knew then he wasn’t just re-stocking the shelves with additional bedding; he was saving lives and helping those in dire need.
In the essay where he was asked why he felt it was important to volunteer, he responded, “Through volunteering, I have learned what I believe to be a crucial lesson for life; being relatable will take you very far. … Relatability bridges the gap between volunteers and those helped. …At its core, volunteering is the connection between two souls. Creating relationships delivers a vastly different and wholly more valuable experience.”
Easton stated he intended to use this realization he learned in the future by always making sure to connect with the person he is volunteering to help. “Only through this will we be able to trust one another,” he wrote.
Community Grants were awarded to Shop Local Shop Hudson, Destination Hudson, Hudson Bandstand, Library and Historical Society, Case-Barlow Farm and Hudson City Schools libraries.
Founded in 1947, the Hudson League of Service undertakes volunteer work and service projects that benefit the Hudson community. Members participate in activities including blood drives, helping at the food pantry, Caroling on the Green and Random Acts of Kindness.
Fundraisers include the annual Ice Cream Social in June as part of Hudson Festival Days and Scholastic book fairs in the fall and spring. All funds are returned to the Hudson community by high school scholarships and community grants.
More information can be found online at hudsonleagueforservice.org. ∞